


A Fair Price

by Jastra



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Bad Deal, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, Evil Bill Cipher, Hurt Dipper Pines, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, M/M, Manipulation, Possessive Behavior, Triangle Bill Cipher, god!Bill, triangle!Bill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-23 09:46:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6112653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jastra/pseuds/Jastra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Dipper wanted was to help Grunkle Stan who had lost everything.<br/>The answer comes in form of Bill Cipher who offers a quick and easy solution in return for a small favour.<br/>What seems like a foolproof deal with the demon turns Dipper’s life into a living hell when the triangle demon drags his soul into the Nightmare Realm. Bill seeks to claim his favorite puppet's mind and soul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Eeep, I got into Gravity Falls only recently and I already have 2 fanfics underway! The rating may change to E if I'm in a really bad mood and want Dipper to suffer a lot. But, I promise that won't happen. This takes place somewhere between weirdmageddon and Bill possessing Dipper. I didn't care much for the details in the plot so Gideon has been released from prison a bit early.

Dipper kicked few rocks and sticks as he walked through the woods of the Gravity Falls, wanting to ignore everything around him. The young boy didn’t even notice the beautiful singing of the birds or the occasional wild animal that passed him, not to mention the gnomes or pixies who gave the boy few worried looks. Dipper was completely lost in his thoughts as he ventured deeper and deeper into the woods, not noticing the passage of time.

 _This just can't be real, why bad things keep happening to my family and friends_ , Dipper thought and couldn't help but feel slightly bitter and incredibly sad about what had happened to Stan. Everything had gone all wrong once again and there was little he could do to help his grunkle who had lost the Mystery Shack to the malicious Gideon boy. Because of the child psychic, Wendy and Soos were now jobless and he along with Stan and Mable were now staying with Soos' grandma.

Even though Dipper had done nothing wrong and losing the mystery shack was hardly his fault, the dutiful and young boy couldn’t help but feel like this had happened because of him, after all trouble always seemed to follow him and his twin sister. There just had to be something he could do to help his family and friends.

"This is stupid and not possible, not twice in row!" Dipper grumbled as he walked deeper and deeper into the forest, not noticing how some gnomes peeked from behind the trees curiously. Dipper was a common sight in the forest and the magical creatures didn't avoid him in any way. Everything was so bizarre and the young boy couldn't get his mind off the small conversation he had with grunkle Stan before storming into the woods angrily.

 

* * *

 

_"But Grunkle Stan, there has to be something we can do! We can't let Gideon win like this, he has tricked the townspeople somehow, I'm sure of it....if we can just find a way to..." Dipper tried to reason with his great uncle who just waved his hand dismissively, clearly defeated and given up. No one believed them no matter what they did and they had lost the shack once more, having to live with Soos and his grandmother. There was no way Stan could take care of him and Mable. The whole family was falling apart now._

_"Just give up Dipper, its no use...none of the villagers seem to understand what we are saying. What ever Gideon has done, we can't reverse it. The deed is his and so is the shack. He will no doubt tear it down within few weeks." he graying old man muttered, leaving Soos' grandma’s house to get something to drink._

_"You kids should just go back to your parents' place...I'm sorry Dipper, but the summer vacation in Gravity Falls is over for you two,” the old man muttered, but Dipper refused to listen to this and he started pulling the book from his backpack, "Grunkle Stan, just listen to me for one minute! I have..." But before he could continue, Stan slammed the door close behind him, not wanting to listen what the small kid had to say._

_"Bro-Bro...are you ok?" Mable asked him, but went quiet when she saw tears in his brother’s eyes. Dipper wiped them away with his arm and without a word he left the house angrily, heading into the dense woods where he, Wendy and Mable had experienced some incredible adventures. He didn’t want to leave Gravity Falls before autumn._

* * *

 

Twilight had fallen over the forest and the town, but Dipper barely noticed it and kicked a pinecone that rolled on the ground before hitting a tree.

"This sucks..." Dipper muttered as he sat down on a fallen and dry log, resting his hands on his elbows before burying his face into his crossed arms, feeling utterly defeated. His book had nothing about mind control so he was useless and couldn't help grunkle Stan. They had lost the shack again to Gideon who had been released from the prison prematurely for his good behavior. But what was even more odd was how the child wonder had gained the town's trust back so fast, as if none of the people in Gravity Falls really remembered what had transpired few weeks prior to Gideon's imprisonment. 

It was almost as if everyone's minds had been tampered with so that they couldn't remember all the horrible things Gideon had done. Everyone now loved him again except him, Mabel, Stan, Soos and Wendy. It was so strange and no matter how much Dipper tried to look into it, he couldn't figure it out. 

"I just don't get it! It is as if Gideon has affected everyone's mind so that they don't remember how he conned them all," Dipper sighed against his arms and turned his head slightly to face the dense woods and only now did he notice how dark it had become. The young brunette boy fixed his hat a bit, trying to think how this all had transpired. Perhaps Gideon had some knowledge he had gained from his book, but what ever the case was, the shack had been lost and Stan couldn't support them anymore.

"Why is everything so hard," Dipper muttered and wiped away few tears as the overwhelming sense of hopelessness started to creep in as the darkness grew deeper. Soon enough it was too dark for him to see clearly and there was now a high chance that he'd really get lost in the woods. But Dipper couldn't care less; he was simply too angry. He'd find a way home somehow and part of him just wanted to stay alone the whole night so that Grunkle Stan wouldn't send him home with Mable.

 

With each passing day it became more and more clear that Stan was once more going to send the twins back to their parents and survive somehow alone, but without his shack, Stan couldn't really support himself and things seemed dire now. The fun and happy summer seemed to be over now and despite surviving all the obstacles and dangers during the summer, right now Dipper felt like none of those things mattered. He couldn’t help Stan in any way.

 _There has to be something I can do to help Stan and the rest, I can't let this end like this and leave with Mable. Grunkle Stan might not be the best person in the world, but we love him. I want to help him,_ Dipper thought and started to feel slightly drowsy, _Wendy and Soos need jobs too._

The moon had risen above the horizon and the stars became brighter by the minute. Dipper yawned loudly and pulled his jacket tighter around him to stay warm, blaming himself even though he had no reason to. To him it just felt like trouble seemed to find him so easily.

"Mable and I will finds some way to help you Grunkle Stan, I promise,” Dipper muttered as he just relaxed and enjoyed the soft breeze of the summer wind and the gentle whispers of the woods that calmed him down.

Dipper eyed the bright yellow, almost golden full moon and the stars that shone above him. It was odd how beautiful the night sky could be. It was something he never had thought back in the big city where lights were on 24/7. But, as he stared at the moon, something very peculiar happened. The golden orb blinked at him and without even realizing it, Dipper blinked back, not able to wrap his head around what had just happened.

"What the?!" Dipper asks quietly in utter confusion when he realizes that the moon wasn't moon, but in fact Bill Cipher's eye. Before the young boy could get up from the log he was sitting on, the moon turned into the golden triangle shaped demon.

_This has to be a dream…_

"Well, hello there Pine tree! Long time no see," the triangle demon greeted Dipper and tipped his black top hat at him, "didn't think I'd find you sleeping in the middle of the woods. You have a death wish or something kiddo?” the demon cackled before flying down at Dipper, poking him playfully with his cane. “You know, if you wanted to die we could make a deal and I'd make it fast and painless for you," the demon offered and Dipper felt like he wasn't entirely joking.

"What do you want, Bill?! I'm not going to make any kind deals with you." Dipper muttered defiantly, but the triangle just rolled his eye and leaned onto his black cane even though he was hovering in the air.

"Sheesh, kid. I see you still have no sense of humour," the triangle laughed, flying around Dipper a couple of times and the boy just eyed him suspiciously, "seems like you lack manners as well Pine tree, not saying even a "hi" to your old pal," the triangle scolded him.

 _When did I fall asleep? Why else would Bill be here?_ Dipper thought, trying to look calm and stoic in front of the dream demon who had tricked him once before and made him into his puppet. But, no matter how calm and collected he tried to look, Dipper could tell that his eyes were still slightly red and that his heart beat had gotten faster.

"A pretty bad place to fall asleep Pine tree, there could be wolves around here." Bill laughed and tapped the boy's head with his cane pretty roughly only to look thoughtful, "actually that would be fun to watch. " The triangle added, cackling at the horrified expression Dipper gave him. "Just kidding Pine tree. Besides, I only wanted to talk to you. It would be a shame if wolves tore that small body of yours into shreds," the demon chirped happily, “or would it? I just can’t decide.”

Dipper looked around to see that the night had fallen completely over the woods and he had really no idea where he was anymore, man, he had really screwed up this time. What ever Bill wanted, it looked like he had to listen to the demon, unless he could wake up.

"I'm not listening to what ever you have to say to me Bill!" Dipper growled, trying to wake himself up by slapping his arm hard, but the demon just laughed, extending his arm to pull the kid closer.

"Oh come on Pine tree, you are so quick to simply reject my offer just because you’ve had few bad experiences. I can help your uncle get his miserable and laughable shack back, if you make a small, completely harmless deal with me," the triangle explained and Dipper stopped pinching himself since it didn't really seem to do anything.

Dipper hesitates for a moment, not really wanting to give Bill his attention, but the demon was offering him something he really desired. “Really?” Dipper asks slightly suspiciously from the floating demon who was staring at him with his single eye, looking slightly smug when he got the boy’s attention, "See? I knew you'd be interested in hearing out my offer," Bill almost whispered to him, his pitch-black hand feeling Dipper's hair slightly.

"Just make it quick! I don't have all night," Dipper finally replied after taking a deep breath to calm himself down. Being this close to Bill was really unnerving, and he felt a shiver run down his spine when the dream demon just cackled, "Sure thing Pine tree. I’m not exactly sure what Gideon has done to the folks around Gravity falls, but reversing the effect will be a simple matter for me,” Bill said care freely, as if such a thing wouldn’t require much from him, “but in return, I need you to do a couple of favours for me Pine Tree, nothing big,” Bill explained but Dipper just eyed him suspiciously, not trusting a single thing the demon told him.

"And you could just get it easily from him? I find that hard to believe..." Dipper snorted and Bill pulled him even closer so that the kid's cheek pressed against the smooth surface of Bill’s triangle body.

 _Too close, too close, too close...._ Dipper thought in panic and tried to pull away from the demon whose smooth surface felt odd against him. "Of course kiddo, did you forget that I'm a dream demon? I can get that little brat to hand it over to you by tomorrow if you agree to my terms."

Dipper swallowed heavily and managed to finally pull back from the demon who was looking at him in a way that told the boy that if he had a mouth, he'd be grinning from ear to ear. "And what about these favours I’m supposed to do for you...don't think I will fall for your trickery again Bill. After what you pulled with that puppet thing, I won't make any more deals with you," Dipper growled and the triangle demon just flew around him a couple of times and poked him into the side with his cane.

"Man, you humans really love to hold grudges, don't you?" Bill asks from the kid before turning slightly more serious, _slightly_.

"Ok, Pine tree, I'll make this simple and easy for you to understand. I'll get the deed back to Stan if I can borrow you for a while to do a couple of small things for me, that's all." the demon explained and leaned onto his cane.

Dipper snorted and glared at Bill who was hovering next to him all patiently, "yeah right, you are probably going to make me either hurt my family or myself in some manner, or the town. In addition to that, you probably just want to destroy my book. No deal Bill,” the golden demon sighed and rolled his eye once more, indicating that he thought Dipper to be a complete moron, "we can sort out the minor details of the contract to your liking," the demon explained in a very friendly manner, "go ahead kiddo, make it more specific and appealing to you and I'll see what I can do."

The young Pines boy couldn't believe he was actually considering what Bill had to offer, but surely if he managed to fill all the loopholes, this could work out. He was more careful now and he knew what Bill was capable of.

Dipper inhaled deeply and tried to calm down, "Ok...lets see." he said, wondering how he should approach this, "you can't hurt me, my family, or my loved ones," Dipper started, looking at Bill who nodded, agreeing to at least that.

"Fine with me Pine tree," The triangle laughed and hovered on top of the young boy to stare down at him, "anymore requests?"

Dipper thought how he should word his demands so that Bill couldn't trick him, "you can't touch or destroy my book, or possess me," the young kid continued listing his demands, keeping his eyes constantly on the demon to see if how he reacted. Bill thought for a moment before nodding, "agreed."

When Dipper didn’t add anything to the contract terms, Bill flew closer to him, studying his possible business partner with dark, intense look in his eye.

"So lets clear this out Pine tree," Bill started, "I, Bill Cipher will get your great uncle's deed to the Shack back and in return, I will borrow you for a while to get few things done. I will not hurt you physically, your family or friends in anyway in Gravity Falls. And, I will not take or destroy your books, or posses you in anyway." Bill repeated the human’s terms before offering his hand for Dipper and he could see a blue flame appear around the hand.

"What do ya say kiddo, do we have a deal? Your contract is going to be pretty foolproof to me," the golden demon laughed trying to sound as if he was merely joking about him possibly wanting to trick him.

"Wait wait...how do I know you wont' make me do something horrible that I just can't think of right now?!" Dipper thought out loud and the blue flame disappeared and Bill blinked, sighing loudly and closing his single eye, "we can add that to the deal as well. I will not force you to kill, steal or harm others in anyway. How does that sound to you? I’m not gonna lie to you Pine tree, you are going to help me to achieve my plans in some way or another, but you won’t go against your morals here.”

Dipper took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to focus on the contract and figure out if it had loopholes the demon could abuse. It wasn’t perfect and he hated helping Bill, but at least the demon admitted that those were purely his goals. It felt like this was for the best and if getting his grunkle’s life back to normal meant helping the triangle.

"Well kiddo? Do we have a deal? I know you want to help your family and I offer you the means to do that," Bill said when the young boy hesitated in front of the ancient demon who had his eye fixated on him, "all I ask in return, is a little bit of your time to help me with a couple of things I can't do because I don't exist physically in your world."

"I don't know Bill, I...I can't trust you,” Dipper muttered and the demon just laughed, "Well if you want to leave your great uncle to suffer, that's fine too. Helping me with few things that won’t even hurt anyone isn’t a big price to pay."

Dipper glanced at Bill's large eye, still hesitating, "Just for a while though...right?" the kid asked and Bill blinked in agreement, "Like I said."

Bill hovered closer once again, "now, do we have a deal kiddo? I don't have all night to waste here Pine tree," the demon whispered and offered his hand once more, "I can always find someone else. In fact, you should feel privileged kiddo since I like you," Bill cackled mirthfully before turning slightly more serious and insistent, clearly wanting his deal, so Its now or never Pine tree, do we have a deal or not?"

Dipper hesitated once again, the blue fire looking very dangerous and any deal with Bill sounded like a bad idea, but...this was the only chance to save and help his family and friends.

"It is a deal Bill..." Dipper finally agreed and took the demon's hand and shook it.

"Good decision Pine tree, we'll have a blast."


	2. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weee, chapter 2! Lots of great and bad things are going to happen to dipper in the next chapter. I have such a bad habit of setting things up way too long. Also, for some reason I have trouble writing Mable faithfully. Also, looking for beta reader!

_The young Pines boy stared at his hand that was shaking Bill's dark one, with a blue flame burning around their connected hands as a sign that they had reached an agreement and that both sides would fulfil their promise._

_"Heh, thanks Pine tree, we will have so much fun together, I can promise you that, " The golden demon almost purred and hovered closer to his business partner, placing his arm around the boy to pull him once more against his smooth golden body, "tell you what, I'll let you break the news to your sister so that she won't be too shocked if something slightly odd happens, " Bill laughed softly and Dipper started to feel like perhaps the contract had not been such a good thing._

_“Oh, thanks, I guess,” the brunette boy muttered and looked slightly troubled when Bill summoned an elegant pocket watch, eying it with a pondering look in his single eye before focusing once more on the boy next to him. The triangle being was clearly taking pleasure in the fact that Dipper felt extremely uneasy being this close to him, "I'll come get you in 24 hours, Pine Tree. I'm sure that is more than enough time to break the news to Shooting star, if you choose to do so," Bill told Dipper who felt a shiver run down his spine as he gazed at the demon. For some reason Bill seemed much more diabolical now that they had made the deal._

_"Aww, don't tell me you are having second thoughts now kiddo,” Bill cackled when he noticed how unsure and fearful the boy had become after shaking his hand, “we made a deal, and its too late to back away now, Pine tree." the golden demon emphasised the fact that they had both agreed to the terms of the contract. But, Dipper could see reddish glow around the demon, he was absolutely sure of it. "But, you've got nothing to worry about Pine tree. Gideon will hand the contract to Stan by morning and I’ll get you to do one thing for me next night. So, don’t look so sour…after all you made the contract to your liking,“ Bill continued and Dipper could feel the demon grasp a handful of his brown hair, tugging it gently "see you next night Pine tree." The dream demon whispered and let go of his partner._

_Just when he was about to disappear Bill seemed to remember something and turned to Dipper once more, “oh, and one more thing…” The demon teleported to the young boy, his eye bright red with a malicious red aura burning around his now black body, **“Don’t even think about trying to get out of this deal. It is just not possible,”** Bill’s voice rang deep and dangerous around Dipper who covered his ears and fell onto his knees._

_Then the triangle turned back into his cheery self and tapped Dipper’s head gently with his cane, “See ya in your dreams,” And with that, the dream ended._

The baseball-capped boy’s eyes snapped open and he shot up into a sitting position, breathing heavily and holding his chest. He scanned the dark woods with his eyes, trying to spot anything that could be a possible danger but when he saw nothing, Dipper let himself finally relax.

 _I really made a deal with Bill,_ the boy thought and felt very uneasy and worried now. The dream demon had a way with words and quite a silver tongue, managing to make him agree to the terms of the contract. Bill had sworn to help Grunkle Stan to get his deed back from Gideon and even though Bill had allowed him to define and make the contract to his liking, Dipper couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that he had made a huge mistake and that the golden triangle was simply playing with him.

The moon shone above the land, casting its cold light over the woods, but it wasn't enough to light Dipper's way back home. With a heavy and worried sigh the boy pulled out his backpack, rummaging through it to find a flashlight he always kept with him in case he and Mable found some cave to explore.

"There...now if I could only find my way back home," Dipper muttered as he switched the light on and cast its light over the dense woods, trying to search for a path that looked familiar. However, no matter how hard he tried, Dipper just couldn't find any sort of path or trail in the dark forest.

Thankfully, he spotted a gnome in the forest and ran to it, almost tripping on few roots.

"Hey, sorry to bother you, but, would you know a way back to town? I'm kind of lost here." Dipper asks and the gnome gave him a long and hard stare. The small thing was clearly in hurry and didn’t’ seem to appreciate being approached at this hour, but his expression softened a bit when he realized that Dipper was just a kid.

"Oi! Kids like you shouldn't be wandering the forest at this hour..." the gnome scolded the human who towered over him. One glance at the kid told the bearded gnome that Dipper was clearly distressed and worried for his safety.

"Ok, fine, just head into that direction and you'll find the diner soon enough," the gnome told the boy who was quick to thank the magical creature before rushing back towards the town, trying to keep his balance in the dark woods and ignore the dark presence around him that he hadn’t felt before. Bill was watching him now.

* * *

 

"Shouldn't you be in bed already Mable?” Stan asked from the young girl who was sitting in Soos’ living room. The greying old man had spent the evening out, trying to figure out what he should do, but eventually he had decided to return back to his family only to find Mabel out of bed. The young girl looked sad and worried and even the presence of her pet pig didn’t seem to comfort her, “And where is your brother?” Grunkle Stan added and tried to sound slightly gentler when he noticed just how distressed Mable looked.

The clock was nearing 1 am already and kids like Mable and Dipper should have been in bed by now. Had something bad happened?

"Grunkle Stan...Dipper, he ran off angrily after you left the house, and he hasn't come back yet," Mable explained and hugged her pet big Waddles who didn’t seem to understand really anything, "he could be lost in the woods or has gotten himself hurt," she whispered with slightly teary eyes. Stan glanced at the front door with expression of extreme anger and worry mixed together.

"That damn kid, what was he thinking? Mable, you stay here, I will round up few townspeople and head..." Stan started, only to be interrupted when the front door opened to reveal Dipper who stepped inside, eyeing Grunkle Stan and his sister somewhat unsurely.

Mable's eyes brightened and she was overwhelmed with relief, "Dipper!" she yelled and rushed over to her twin, hugging him so tightly that Dipper almost lost his breath, "You idiot! I was so worried for you. What if wolves had eaten you," Mable scolded her brother angrily who looked paler than usual and slightly shaken.

"Mable I..." Dipper tried explaining but stopped when his great Uncle approached him with stern and angry expression on his face.

"Damn it Dipper, you had us all worried! Never run into the woods again, is that clear?" The old man yelled at him, but was clearly more worried than angry. However, being a cranky old man, Stan had trouble showing his softer and worried side to his family and instead acted aggressive and angry.

"Yes, Grunkle Stan...I just…" Dipper muttered but Stan refused to listen to anything he had to say. "Now go to bed, both of you. I will get you two tickets back home tomorrow, at least that way you will be safe," The greying old man sighed and watched the twins head to Soos' room without a word.

"Damn kids, I'm going to miss them." Stan sighed when he was sure the twins were gone.

 

* * *

 

"Dipper, what were you thinking?" Mable asks her brother when they get into their guest beds, looking worried when her twin doesn't answer and instead just turns to his side to face the wall.

"I was just so angry sis, that's all..." Dipper replied quietly and felt like someone was watching him, someone else than Mable. There was a dark presence around them but his sister didn't seem to notice it. However, Dipper knew it was there and that Bill was most certainly watching him now.

A part of him really wanted to tell Mable right away what he had done, but he was afraid, afraid that Bill wasn't going to keep his promise about getting the Shack back to their uncle. What if it really had been just a dream and nothing would happen when the morning came? He would have given his sister false hope.

 _If Bill keeps his promise, I will tell Mable,_ Dipper thought as he closed his eyes and tried to get some rest.

"We'll talk in the morning...looks like uncle Stan is going to send us back home anyways, got plenty to talk in the bus," Dipper said bitterly and pulled the covers over his small body, finally drifting into sleep.

_Dipper found himself resting in his bed and staring at the ceiling, “what in the..” The young boy muttered and tried to get into a sitting position but found it to be impossible. It was as if he had been paralyzed from neck down. The dream had lost all colour and looked bleak and grey with shadows moving on the walls, floor and ceiling._

_His heart started to beat faster as the shadows closed in around him without any sound, but a slow, soft ticking of a grandfather clock pierced the silence. However, the sound wasn’t soothing in any manner and instead, it felt like the sound indicated that he was running out of time._

_Dipper focused on the shifting shadows for a moment until he heard the familiar and insane cackle of Bill Cipher._

**_“Tick tock, Pine tree, you better tell Shooting star, else she’ll be heart broken.”_ **

_Dipper turned his head slightly to look at a tall bookshelf and on top if sat none other than Bill, his single eye fixated on him and it was glowing with red light. The world around Dipper had lost all colour except for the golden demon who could barely keep his laughter at bay. His eye was narrow, as if he was grinning and the demon pointed at the clock on the wall and to Dipper’s horror it was running backwards, as if counting down the minutes for the moment Bill would acquire him._

**_“Don’t forget I will get you next night,”_ ** _the demon purred and teleported over Dipper to hover on top of him. The young boy couldn’t tear his eyes from Bill’s single one that glowed with malicious intent._

**_"You are mine now, Pine tree..."_ **

_The demon finally lost all control over him, cackling at Dipper in completely insane manner who was completely helpless beneath the triangular demon_

_Bill’s laughter echoed in the boy’s dream as black, shadowy tendrils formed around him, wrapping around Dipper’s small form and binding him and it felt like he was being swallowed by the darkness itself. The blackness overtook his vision and the last thing he saw was Bill’s form._

**_“You belong to me.”_ **

"Dipper! Dipper! Oh my gosh Dipper, you aren't going to believe this!"

The young boy opened his eyes and wiped his eyes slightly to slowly clear his vision when his sister’s cheery voice woke him up. Was it the morning already?

"Mabel, what the?" Dipper asked all drowsily, only to become instantly alert when his twin jumped onto his bed with bright and happy look in her brown eyes, "bro-bro, this is unbelievable! I mean, even I can hardly believe this!“

“What is?" the boy asked in utter confusion and Mabel looked like she was about to burst.

"Gideon just walked in this morning and handed the deed back to great uncle Stan!" Mable laughed and hugged her brother tightly, looking extremely happy but Dipper could see a more serious Mable for few brief seconds, "though he did look quite shaken and scared, apologizing for some reason."

 _Unbelievable, Bill really did keep his promise,_ Dipper thought but instead of feeling happy, the only thing he felt was distress and fear. This meant now that he was indeed bound to do Bill's required deed what ever it was going to be. And after last night’s dream, it felt like Bill had great plans for him.

Mabel's happy expression died a bit when she noticed how alarmed and fearful her brother looked, "What's wrong, Dipper? You don't look happy. Don't you understand? We don't have to leave now," Mable explained to him, thinking that he simply couldn’t digest the good news instantly.

Dipper swallowed and felt the presence again, stronger this time. Bill was watching them, he was absolutely sure of it now.

"I am, Mable, this...this is just so surprising," Dipper laughed nervously and Mabel seemed to buy it. "You know what I mean, sis, that's just so unlike Gideon...” her brother continued, “Mabel, did he say anything more?"

Mable tried to recall what had happened when Gideon had dropped by during the morning when her brother had been sleeping. She and Grunkle Stan had decided to let him sleep after the last night’s episode. The baseball-capped boy had been completely exhausted and had muttered and thrashed in his sleep.

"Just that he was sorry and that great things were going to happen sooner or later," Mable replied as she tried to recall anything specific. Her words made Dipper's heartbeat get faster and he didn’t feel so good anymore. The sudden change in her brother’s situation didn’t go unnoticed by Mable and she leaned closer and felt Dipper’s forehead with her hand to see if he had a fever, "Dipper, you look pale..." Mabel pointed out, sensing that something was burdening her twin.

Dipper looked at the clock on the wall, it had been 9 hours since he and Bill had made the deal, only 15 hours remaned till Bill would come to make his request. He had to tell Mabel about it before the time ran out.

"Lets get back to the shack Dipper, Grunkle Stan is packing already. Man I'm so happy!" Mabel laughed and jumped off the guest bed, running to say good-bye to Soos' grandmother who had been so kind to them.

"Yeah...great." Dipper said after Mable was gone, almost choking on the words and he felt like there were invisible chains connecting him to Cipher. He still felt like a puppet who was dancing to the demon’s tune.

* * *

 

Before long the twins found themselves back in the shack with Stan and Waddles along with Wendy and Soos who had come to help them get things running again. Thankfully Gideon hadn't had time to really change anything and the Shack was pretty much the way they had left it.

While his family and friends were happy, Dipper had a nagging feeling that this all had been way too easy, as if it all had been a set up by Bill to get him to agree to do some sort of a deal with him.

 _How do I know this isn’t one of Bill’s tricks…was the deed just a set up?_ Dipper pondered and the idea made him more than uncomfortable. The last night’s dream still haunted him and he could clearly remember it to every last detail. The way Bill had acted…it was as if he had won.

**_“You belong to me.”_ **

The words echoed in his mind and Dipper shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

 _It was just a dream...Bill probably wasn’t haunting me last night,_ the young Pines boy hoped.

Despite trying to look happy and carefree, the young Pines boy felt more and more scared with each passing hour. Every minute that passed brought Bill closer to him and he started to see the demon in every shadow and item that looked even slightly triangular. He’d have to tell someone about what had transpired with Bill. It was eating him up from the inside.

"Hey, Dipper, you look quite shaken, is everything ok?" Soos asked, looking worried for the kid who had been staring at a triangular mark on the window for a minute, "dude, you are like totally pale. Perhaps you should rest for a moment? Spending half of the night in a forest was probably pretty scary," the kind young man suggested but Dipper just shook his head

"Thanks Soos, but I don't really want to sleep at all," Dipper muttered and decided that he had to tell his sister now; else he might not get a chance.

He found his sister stocking the gift shop with Grunkle Stans' latest cash grab item, humming happily and Waddles was oinking around the young girl. For a moment, the young boy just eyed his sister and feared how she’d react to the fact he was going to do Bill’s bidding. Finally, Dipper took a deep breath and approached his twin who was focused on her work.

"Mable, we need to talk about something pretty important," Dipper said and tapped his twin's shoulder gently to get her attention. Mable turned around with a happy smile on her face, "Oh, why such a grumpy face, bro-bro? Lets turn that frown upside down!" the eccentric girl laughed and tried to force her brother to smile, only to look confused when Dipper backed away, his hands inside the pockets of the jacket.

"Cut it Mable...this is serious," he almost growled, clearly frustrated since Mable couldn't see that he was being very serious. As much as he loved his sister’s bright and wonderful persona, sometimes she just didn’t realize when he had something serious to talk with her.

"Sorry Dipper..." the brown haired girl muttered and rubbed her arm slightly, not understanding why her brother had been so moody and strange the whole morning, "I thought you'd be happy that Uncle Stan got the Mystery Shack back."

Dipper bit his lip and let his gaze drop to the floor; he really didn’t want to look his sister into eyes right now.

"I am, Mable, but I had something to do with it and I'm not sure if I did the right thing," the young Pines boy explained and headed for the door, pulling his sister with him, "lets talk outside, I don't want Soos or Wendy to hear."

“You had something to do with this? Don’t tell me you went to threaten Gideon or something last night?” his twin asks and looks around them, “that’s not like you Dipper!” She accused him once they had reached the edge of the forest so that no one would hear them talk. When her brother just shook his head and didn’t give her any proper answer, Mable started to lose her patience..

"Ok bro-bro, what's this about? You've been acting all strangely. Now spit it out!" the brunette girl stated and poked her brother into chest, “You’ve been acting strangely the whole morning.”

The male twin took a deep breath and still refused to look Mable into eyes, he just couldn’t, “the only reason Gideon gave the deed back to Grunkle Stan is because I made a deal with Bill. He told me, that if I agreed to do something for him, he'd fix all of this and help Stan keep the shack so that we wouldn’t’ have to leave the Gravity Falls," Dipper explained and hoped that his sister would look happy and tell him that he had done the right thing, but instead, Mable's expression turned slowly into one of pure terror.

"Don't tell me you..." she started for the words only to die on her lips when her brother nodded, looking truly miserable when he realized that Mable wasn’t going to support him in his decision.

"Dipper! Are you insane?! How could you agree to anything after what he pulled with your body?" Mable cried out, grabbing her brother's shoulders.

"I'm sure I made the contract fool proof and he won't hurt you or the people in Gravity Falls, or posses me," Dipper tried reasoning with Mable who was on the verge of tears now, not wanting to believe that her brother had made a deal with the dream demon. They both knew that Bill was a dangerous creature and deals with him only meant danger for the town, "and he won't force me to hurt anyone, so...even if I have to help him a bit, it cant' be anything too bad. I just...felt like it was what I had to do to help Grunkle Stan."

"You can't trust him, Dipper! Tell me from word to word what the contract was," Mable demanded and Dipper quickly repeated it to her multiple times for his sister who tried to desperately find some loophole Bill could use.

"See? It should be completely foolproof, don't you think so, Mable?" Dipper laughed nervously, wanting his sister's reassurance. But deep inside him, the boy knew that there had to be some loophole that Bill was going to abuse. Why else would he have appeared in his dream? Saying all those horrible things to him.

Suddenly his sister seemed to realize something and she turned to her brother with horrified expression that soon changed into one of pure sadness, "Oh Dipper.." she almost choked, turning away from her brother to cry and wipe her eyes into sleeve of her pink sweater.

"Mable...wha…what's wrong?" Dipper asked, feeling something cold grip his heart when he realized that he probably had screwed a big time, he just didn't know yet how, “Sis, tell me,” the boy insisted and places his hand onto Mable’s shoulder to comfort her.

"Just think about it!, Dipper! The contract is a trap. How long is Bill going to borrow you?" Mable almost yelled at him, turning to him with red eyes., “Why did you make that deal?!”

Dipper blinked in confusion before repeating that part of the deal once again, ”for a while?"

Mable nodded at him, “and how long is a while Dipper? Especially for a demon? Its completely subjective to the viewer!!" Mabel cried out and embraced her brother, not wanting to let go of him, "It can be a year, decade, a century...he is probably million year old and time probably has very little meaning to him."

Dipper's whole body started to tremble when he realized just how big of a mistake he had made and he could hear Bill's insane laughter in his mind, mocking him for being so stupid.

"But..but he can't hurt me or you, what can he do?!" Dipper asked, wanting to believe he had not been tricked.

"I don't know...but I just know he has something planned for you," his twin whispered, "when will he come to get you?"

"Tonight." The brown haired boy replied and Mable tightened her hold on him.

"I'm not going to let Bill take you, no matter what."

 


	3. Taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh, this took so long from me. I had the draft done for like 2 months, I just didn't have time to edit and re-read it 100 times. I try to be faster with next chapter.  
> I have too many projects going on at the same time.

"Dipper we need to tell Grunkle Stan what you've done, I'm sure he can help us somehow," Mabel begged her brother as she pulled out a couple of energy drinks from the fridge along with some caffeine chocolate and candy in amounts that would be too much even for Mabel to handle.

No matter how hard they tried to think of a way for Dipper to break the contract, they couldn't come up with any viable options. In the end, the two had settled on the plan to stay awake the whole night, even if both of them knew that it was not really a plan of any sort. The idea was that if he wasn't dreaming, Bill wouldn't be able to get to him and do whatever he had planned for Dipper. Neither of them dared to admit that they were simply stalling for time.

It was simply a desperate measure to prolong the inevitable. Sure, maybe they got through one night, but then what? Nothing would stop Dipper from eventually falling asleep.

Perhaps in the back of their minds, the twins wished that miracle would occur, something that could get Dipper out of the diabolical deal with the triangle demon. Something always happened that turned the tables around in their favor. Surely that would happen again, right?

 _There has to be something that will prevent that damn triangle from taking my brother,_ Mabel swore to herself as she gazed at her brother, trying to conceal her scared expression with a smile. No matter how positive and energetic she was all the time, the threat of losing her brother got to her. They had decided to make sure that no matter what, Dipper wouldn't fall asleep.

Mabel cast her eyes down onto the floor, tightening her hold on the hoard of snacks she held in her arms, _Why did you have to make that deal with Bill, Dipper? I can't lose you,_ she thought. The mere idea of that demon wanting something from her brother made Mabel feel uneasy and angry. However, she was quick to grin at Dipper when her twin turned to her.

The look on her twin brother's face told Mabel that he was clearly fighting with the decision to tell Grunkle Stan about what had happened.

"Absolutely not, Mabel! He probably thinks I'm a total failure for letting Bill take over my body and use it as a puppet, I just can't face Stan and tell him that he only got the deed back because I let Bill fool me again," Dipper explained anxiously as he took a pot of steaming hot coffee and put it inside a thermos bottle for later use. He hated coffee, but if it helped to keep Bill at bay, he was going to use it for sure. It was almost like holy water to keep the demon at bay and out of his mind.

Mabel went silent for a moment and bit her tongue, fighting the urge to just throw her snacks at her brother who was so bullheaded, not wanting to tell their dear Grunkle Stan in what sort of possible danger he was in. Neither of them had really any idea what Bill could want with Dipper when it came to the terms of the contract, but what ever it was, it couldn’t be good. All they could be sure about was that Dipper was bound to Bill “for a while.” For whatever that meant.

"Stop being so bullheaded and tell Grunkle Stan what is going on!" Mable insisted only to fight back the tears when her brother just shook his head.

“What am I going to tell him if something happens to you?” Mabel continued demandingly, but once again, Dipper chose to remain silent and instead just gathered items for their horror movie marathon.. He had gotten into this trouble and he had to find a way out of it. There was no way he was going to drag their elderly uncle into this. Just when Mabel was about to yell at her brother again, she saw it.

Dipper was scared.

What ever the young girl had meant to say, the words died on her lips when she saw how her brother trembled a bit. He was pale and his eyes reflected the fear he felt for Bill, the uncertainty what was going to happen to him. What the dream demon would make him do, it had to be a favor of some sort for sure.

 "Are you absolutely sure about this?" Mable asked quietly as she put the snacks into a basket, wiping her eyes into the sleeve of her pink sweater, regaining her happy look. _Dipper has way more reasons to be afraid, why am I crying?_ Mabel thought, _I have to stay strong for him._

"Grunkle Stan might be a grumpy, ill tempered old man but he is resourceful and could know something to help you," Mable tried one more time to reason with the brunette boy with cheerful and happy expression on her face, wanting to make Dipper believe that everything was going to be ok.

"I am, Mabel. Bill tricked me and it is my job to deal with him. I told you so that you wouldn't worry if Bill made me do something odd and now I really have no desire pulling anyone else into this mess," Dipper replied and sounded utterly defeated.

 The baseball capped boy gazed at the clock on the wall; it was nearing 6 pm already and the hours just seemed to run by. They had done everything possible to keep them awake. Horror movies, caffeine, energy drinks and pretty much anything they could come up with.

 While Mabel had done the majority of preparation, Dipper had been looking into his journal to find anything the author could have written about Bill, but there was no information what so ever about how one could break a deal with him. It seemed to be impossible.

 "Did you find anything in the book, Dipper?" his sister asked as they ascended the stairs up to their room, carrying tons of candy, drinks and videotapes they had rented. Waddles followed them and ate whatever pieces of candy fell from Mable's arms, basket and backpack, oinking happily at every treat, completely unaware of the distress Mabel and Dipper felt.

 "Nothing," Dipper whispered utterly defeated and hugged the large journal against his chest, "only thing this journal contains are the scribbled warnings about Bill. "Do not summon at any cost, ect," he continued and hated himself for not taking heed of the warnings in the book. The introductions had been clear as day. Do not have any dealings with Bill...yet he had not heeded them.

Dipper was in a dark place right now, feeling fearful and anxious about what was coming and what manner of horrible things Bill had planned for him. The demon wanted the journals and get rid of nuisances. And what had he done exactly? Been snooping around the Gravity Falls, uncovering its secrets one by one.

But, he still couldn't understand what the demon could do to hurt them. The dream demon was probably going to use him in some indirect way to bring him to their realm, but how?

 _“For a while”_ , Dipper repeated the terms in his mind and felt extremely angry with himself, _I should have realized that Bill was tricking me. Mabel has every right to be angry with me. I'm such an idiot,_ Dipper scolded himself. He could still hear Bill’s cackling ringing in his ears, eating away at his mind.

As the two climbed the stairs up, the young girl watched her brother and realized, that Dipper had only done what he had thought was the right thing.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you Dipper,” Mable suddenly said and sounded very remorseful, making Dipper glance at his sister with a surprised look in his eyes. "I shouldn't have judged you so harshly. In you place, I would probably have done the same thing. The shack means everything to Grunkle Stan and he would have been miserable without it," his twin said with a small encouraging smile. Dipper just wanted to hug her, but unfortunately his hands were full.

"Thanks Mable, but it doesn't justify the mistake I made. I fear what Bill will make me do," Dipper muttered but Mable just tried cheering him up, "Bro Bro, if you make something that helps Bill, I'm going to wreck it so bad that he can't benefit from having you do favors to him. That dumb demon will grow so annoyed that he lets you out of the contract!" Mable laughed and looked sure of it. _Yeah, that's right,_ Mabel thought, starting to regain her determination, _what can that stupid triangle do when we are together anyways? I'll protect Dipper. We’ve defeated him twice before already._

"Heh, Thanks Mable," Dipper replies as they carry all the stuff upstairs only to dodge Soos who rushed past them, carrying the television upstairs,

"Oh hey little dudes, you wanted this to your bedroom, right?" The man-child asked from the young twins who nodded.

"At haste, Soos! Its a matter of life and death!" Mable said all dramatically and Soos just laughed and clearly didn't take the two seriously, "sure thing, Mabel." Soos probably just thought this to be yet another of their antics.

Dipper smiled at his sister, loving how she had cast away the worried look on her face and regained the happy, determined and overly optimistic mindset. His sister’s presence always felt good.

The two watched their friend carry the television upstairs only to turn and see Grunkle Stan at the start of the stairs, "What you damn kids are doing with my television? They are about to show another movie from Grandpa the Kid Series!"" the old man demanded all crankily, but Mabel stood her ground, "Grunkle Stan, we need it! We have a night of terror ahead of us and we need all the horror movies and caffeine possible! If we fail Dipper might die!" Mable explained and for a moment, Dipper feared that their uncle was going to rip the answers from them.

 _Die? I hope not…though,_ Dipper thought and swallowed, _it is a possibility, even if I the contract’s terms say that he can’t hurt me. One can never be sure with Bill._

For a moment the twins were sure their grunkle would rush and get the tv back from them, but surprisingly enough, Stan just gave them a blank stare for a moment that read, “I don't even want to know”. Finally the fez wearing man rolled his eyes and replied, "Sure, what ever, I feel like I'm better of not knowing what you damn kids are up to...just return my television tomorrow, the baby fights marathon is commencing then," their uncle told them before wandering off to the gift shop to make sure they had done a proper work.

 Apparently Mabel's explanation had sounded like nonsense to Stan who had not taken them seriously either. But then again, how could they blame him? Strange things kept happening and Mabel was so eccentric that Stan probably thought this to be just another of her games.

"Mabel...I'm really worried," Dipper finally admitted to his twin who just gave him a determined look and a wide grin, "Don't worry Dipper, I won't let Bill do anything to you, I swear! That stupid triangle will not beat the Pines twins!"

The two finally reached their bedroom and placed the items onto the wooden floor.

Mabel gave her brother a tight hug, “We’ll stay together forever.”

The young boy sighed and returned the hug since no one was watching, but for some reason, it felt like even the walls had eyes and they all were staring at him, “Yeah.”

* * *

 

Before long the young twins were huddled up in their room watching television and eating high caffeine treats and drinks. The clock was nearing 1am with the monster marathon going on the television. They had not even touched their reserve of rented movies. Things were looking great.

 Mabel almost screamed when a giant robot suddenly appeared on the screen, but her shock turned into laughter when she realized how poorly the effects had been made, "Haha! Look at that thing, Dipper," the long haired girl giggled and imitated the monster "beep boop, I'm a robot, I will annihilate humanity!"

Dipper yawned and protested when Mabel attacked him playfully, as if she was the monster on the screen, "Mabel, cut it out!" Dipper complained, but started laughing when his sister started tickling him.

 "Kids! Be quiet I'm trying to sleep here!" Their grunkles' angry voice came from the floor beneath them and the angry old man was poking the ceiling with a broom or a stick to quiet the two down a bit.

 "No can do Grunkle Stan, I have to keep Dipper awake!" Mabel protested and eyed her brother who yawned once again when she stopped tickling him. "Dipper you have to stay awake, please." Mabel murmured and tried to sound cheerful so that they wouldn't feel scared, “and stop yawning it is...” it was Mabel's turn to yawn, “contagious”. It was unnerving to know that the demon was preying on his brother and that he was in danger if he fell asleep.

"I'm sorry Mabel...I'm just...I just want to close my eyes for a moment," the tired young boy complained before reaching out to grab another cup of coffee that tasted so bitter and didn't help at all. For a moment, the Dipper could be sure that a shadow crossed over the triangle shaped window. It made his heart skip a beat but he quickly calmed down, _just my imagination,_ he thought.

"Dipper, you know that he will come if you fall asleep," Mabel whispered quietly, but the sad truth was that her brother couldn't stay awake forever. He'd have to sleep eventually. “We are past the hour mark already...I'm sure we will come up with something,” Mabel continued a bit desperately. The two had thrown few ideas during the movie marathon, but the ideas had been foolish and would never work.

 _Waddles eating Bill is not very viable option._..Dipper thought.

"Yeah...yeah I know, " the young boy finally muttered as the credits rolled on the screen. Next up was a vampire classic and it was supposed to be really scary.

 

2 am Dipper could barely keep his eyes open anymore and he hadn't paid any attention to the television for a while now. "Hey Mabel, what’s up next after this?" dipper asked with a loud yawn but when he got no answer, he turned to his sister and realized that Mabel had fallen asleep, her face resting on the tv guide and she was drooling slightly on the shiny paper.

"Great." Dipper muttered and turned his eyes to the triangle window and the shining golden moon behind it. It looked so bright against the pitch-black sky. _I'm not tired, I'm not..._ Dipper thought and repeated those words like a mantra, but his eye lids felt so heavy and he just wanted to rest his eyes just for a moment. Surely there wouldn't be harm in closing his eyes just for a while.

Somehow, he could almost feel someone in the room, someone else other than him, Mabel or Waddles.

In the dark shadows of the room, someone was watching him, waiting patiently and calmly. There was no need to hurry.

Finally, Dipper gave into the sweet temptation to just let his eyes rest for a while. It felt so good and relaxing and for a moment he almost forgot the danger he was in. If he just let his eyes rest for a moment, he could watch more movies with Mabel. Of course, he'd have to wake her up.

 _See, no harm done,_ Dipper thought when he opened his eyes again, _I didn't fall asleep,_ he thought a bit smugly. However, he slowly realized that his surroundings were completely grey scale and somehow distorted.

 _Oh no..._ was the only thing he could think of.

"Took you long enough, Pine tree," he heard a familiar and cheerful voice that made a shiver of fear and worry run down Dipper's spine. Dipper lifted his gaze up to face the triangle shaped window that suddenly started shining with golden light before turning into Bill who was holding his cane.

"I've got to hand it to you, kiddo, you made it past 24 hour mark, but the lack of sleep is really bad for ya," Bill laughed as he hovered closer to Dipper who backed away from him and towards the door, but the triangle just moved closer to him with dangerous look in that single eye, looking like he had already won, “I heard young humans need plenty of rest to grow up,” the demon laughed, his eye narrowing slightly to indicate that he was grinning, “which is great because that’s the only thing your body will do.”

 "I..I'm not going to let you take me," Dipper panicked, "b...besides you know the deal we made! You can't possess me or use me to hurt anyone!" the young boy yelled at the demon and glanced at Mabel who was still sleeping next to him...or his body so to speak. "...what?!" Dipper yelled and realized he was in incorporeal form like when Bill had possessed him. His real body was sleeping peacefully next to his sister. _I have to wake up!_ Dipper realized and started to panic.

 "Well sure, Pine tree! But I'm going to borrow you anyway...your soul in fact," Bill cackled and Dipper felt beads of cold sweat form on his brow as the one eyed demon got closer and closer. “The deal was that you wouldn't hurt me!” Dipper growled and got up to try the door but it was locked. The demon’s laughter echoed in the room “Oh that, I said physically hurt you, look,” Bill said, pointing at Dipper's body, “You are sleeping quite peacefully there, and besides, we are not exactly in Gravity Falls anymore, we are in your mind. Now why don't you be a good little kid and come with me? I'd hate to hurt you...oh who am I kidding, I'm going to enjoy that a lot!” Bill laughed and with a snap of his fingers, the window at the opposite wall turned pitch black and from the darkness sprouted black tendrils.

 "Mabel! Mabel help me!" Dipper yelled and tried to get his sister to wake up, but it was useless, both of the bodies lied still on the floor, cozy inside their sleeping bags.

 Bill just cackled loudly and snapped his fingers once more that made the tendrils slowly reach out towards Dipper, "oh you are hilarious Pine tree! Shooting star can't hear you in this state and time has no meaning." the triangle mocked Dipper whose back was pressed against the door. When he had been a puppet he could float through objects but this time he couldn't escape the confinement of this room for some reason. "The deal is in effect, kiddo, there is no escape from me," the demon laughed, checking his nails as if this was something completely menial. The black mass of tendrils came closer to Dipper. "Now lets go."

  _He is going to drag me into his dream world_ , Dipper realized. He started to panic. "No! Stay away from me Bill, I'm not going anywhere with you!" The young boy yelled and protested, but in an instant, the triangle moved up close to him,

"Aren't you adorable, I do love it when humans are scared," Bill said, his hand caressing Dipper's cheek, "It never stops amusing me how stupid you are, Pine tree," the top hat wearing demon jeered at him, “You are mine,” Before Dipper had a chance to dodge, one of the tendrils wrapped around one of his legs, followed by another that took hold of the other.

 "No! Get off me!" The boy protested desperately and tried to pry the black mass off but it was useless. Dipper lost his balanced when the tendrils started to pull him towards the triangle shaped portal that had taken the window's place.

 As he was being dragged towards that portal, Dipper tried to hold onto anything that could prevent him from getting pulled through into Bill's world, but it was useless.

 "But…But my body is still there! What will happen to it?" The young boy asked from Bill who hovered now over his sleeping form, poking it with his cane before laughing mirthfully,

"Oh, that is the greatest thing! With your soul trapped in my dream world, your body will simply continue sleeping and will never wake up," the triangle laughed and the entire room felt somehow darker. Dipper's eyes widened in terror and he turned onto his stomach, trying to hold onto the creaky floorboards, but it was useless.

"Your body will eventually wither and die," Bill murmured before moving to sit on the boy's back, his black hand caressing Dipper's hair, petting his head, "But you don't need to worry kiddo! I'm sure humans can keep your body alive artificially for a good long while. Too bad a human life span is just a blink of an eye for me!" The golden demon cackled maliciously, grabbing the boy’s hair very roughly to yank his head back a bit.

 "Good thing is that I quite like you, Pinetree and the best thing is that I can make you immortal. Doesn't that sound like fun? You bound to me for an eternity," the dream demon laughed and Dipper felt tears form in his eyes as he passed his and Mabel's sleeping forms.

"Mabel! Please wake up! Don't let him take me!" Dipper yelled desperately at his sleeping twin who didn't move, after all time had stopped.

 "Too late for that now Pine tree. You belong to me," Bill almost purred as he lied on top of Dipper, caressing the boy's head and shoulders quite affectionately as Dipper was being pulled towards the portal that was going to trap his soul into Bill's insane realm.

 "Take a good look at Shooting Star, Pine tree, it will be a long while in my realm for you," the malicious and insane demon told Dipper who glanced over his shoulder to see the dark portal just few meters away. It looked endless like space itself and he knew that there would be no returning back if he was pulled through it. Another tendril wrapped around his body and arm, making his struggling even less effective. “If I can’t enter your world, neither can you Pine tree,” the demon murmured, playing with Dipper's hair in a very taunting manner.

 Dipper wanted to cry, to scream and fight but it was all useless. A cold and paralyzing fear overtook his incorporeal body when he felt Bill's body press against his back and head. The demon petted him gently, in almost comforting manner, "you are my perfect little puppet, Pine tree, and I know you are the key in invading your realm," the dream demon said and the portal suddenly cast red and malicious hue over the whole room. The shadows deepened and started to move.

"So, just be a good little meat bag and come with me through that portal," Cipher continued and Dipper felt tears streaming down his cheeks and the demon caressed the constellation birthmark on his forehead. "I'll show you some lovely nightmares," the demon murmured, “nightmares that you eventually won't want to wake up from.”

 "Mabel! " Dipper yelled desperately one last time as the black void tendrils wrapped tightly around his body. Bill cackled loudly and the room looked truly hellish. With one powerful yank, the tendrils pulled him and the demon through the portal into the endless madness.

 

* * *

 

The morning came and the sun rose slowly above the horizon. Mabel emerged from her sleeping bag like a little butterfly and yawned loudly and for the few first seconds he didn't recall anything. This was going to be just another wonderful day in Gravity Falls with her brother who...who...She stopped her yawn in midway.

 "Oh my gosh!" Mabel shrieked in terror when she realized she had fallen asleep and dreamed till the morning. The young brunette girl panicked and turned to her brother who thankfully was still on the floor, sleeping peacefully.

"Oh thank goodness, haha," The girl laughed and felt relieved. Apparently Bill had not taken her twin in the middle of the night, good. "Dipper, for a moment I was sure that stupid triangle had taken you away while I slept and made you do something. Looks like Bill is no match for the Pines twins after all!" Mable laughed and grinned happily at her brother who she had expected to wake up from her yelling and laughing. However, Dipper was still sleeping...”Or like, did he make you do something in the middle of the night and now you just want to sleep?” Mabel teased her brother, confident that they could fix what ever Dipper had done.

 "Dipper?" Mabel asked and sounded worried now. She crawled over to her brother who looked so peaceful, sleeping on a large pillow inside his sleeping bag. The television was still on but instead of horror movies, it showed news and morning shows.

 For a moment, Mabel feared that her brother wasn't breathing, but thankfully Dipper breathing was steady and calm. "Wakey wakey, bro bro!" Mabel laughed and shook Dipper's shoulder gently, but when there was no reaction what so ever, the braced girl's eyes widened in terror and her body started to tremble.

"Hey Dipper, seriously get up!" She complained and shook her brother almost violently but he just kept sleeping, like there was nothing that could pierce through his dream.

 Mabel was sure she could hear Bill's insane laughter in the back of her mind and she clutched the hem of her sweater as few tears landed on the pink fabric.

"Grunkle Stan!" She yelled in pure fear and desperation with tears streaming down her face.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, what will Bill do to Dipper?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh, I read some Lovecraft while writing this.  
> I decided to use Sinnabar's God!Bill design but I clearly don't do justice to it here. I know I left the description kinda vague. It is just so wonderful!  
> EDIT: 1508 Fixed some errors. Dipper is supposed to be in Bill's nightmare realm rather than mindscape.

“Dipper please wake up, I beg of you...” Mabel cried as she held her brother who just lied on the hospital bed, sleeping peacefully while different machines monitored his vitals. No matter what she, Grunkle Stan or the doctor’s tried, Dipper didn’t react to anything and just continued sleeping, probably trapped in the dream or worse.

 _What did that damn demon do to you, Bro bro?_ Mabel thought as the image of Bill flashed in her mind, _I’m going to make him give you back to me, I swear!_

Stan watched helplessly how Mabel kept wiping away the tears while holding her twin, refusing to let go of the boy who had ended up this state just because he had wanted to help his Great Uncle get the Mysteryshack back.

“Mabel...” Stan started and rubbed the back of his neck, but he didn't know what to say…what could he say? At first he had not believed anything the young girl had told him and had tried shaking Dipper to wake him up, thinking it to just be another of the kids’ pranks, but he had soon realized that it was not so.

Eventually he had stopped long enough for the young girl to explain everything about Bill and the deal Dipper had made with him, about trap the demon had set for her brother. As they had rushed Dipper to hospital, Stan couldn’t help but feel betrayed by how his niece and nephew had not trusted him enough to tell him what had troubled them. The shack meant everything to him; it was the key to save his brother, but to know that Dipper had made a deal with the dream demon just to help him out was something he didn’t want.

“Why couldn't Dipper tell me...” Stan muttered and clenched his fists in anger and agony. It was unbearable to see the young boy in this state with none of the damn doctors being able to figure out what was wrong with him. They just looked baffled and tried to come up with theories of what could suddenly cause such a state. The scans or tests couldn’t pick any kind of damage done to the boy’s brain and his vitals and body were perfectly fine and healthy as well.. Dipper was simply asleep and nothing could wake him up. He was simply…gone in a sense, trapped inside his mind.

“Dipper...”Mabel sobbed and hiccupped as she wrapped her arms around her brother’s body, not wanting to let go, “he didn't want to burden you, wanting to solve this by himself. He knew the Mystery Shack meant everything to you and losing it to Gideon would mean the summer’s end,” Mabel explained, trying to fight the tears that kept streaming down her face, “he just didn’t want to see you suffer,” Mabel continued and turned to her great uncle who looked absolutely, “We didn't think that Bill would do something like this to him.”

“Mabel...we need to inform your parents...” Stan muttered and the young girl could see that her grunkle didn't want to call her mother.

“But our parents are traveling across Europe,” Mabel whispered, petting his brother's head, they’d have to come back from their business trip and it would be ruinous to their careers and….” She continued, worrying now also for her family. Everything was falling apart around her.

“I know Mabel, but your parents need to know what has happened to Dipper,” Stan sighed and moved over to Mabel to put his hand on her shoulder, “I will go now to fill out the paper work, stay with Dipper...I will come back to get you once I'm done….” Stan started but Mabel just shook her head desperately and tightened her hold on Dipper,

“No no no! I won't leave my brother! I will stay here. Please grunkle Stan, I don't want to leave him all alone in here,” Mabel cried with heartbroken look in her eyes, “I already failed him once and let Bill take him in the dream, I won’t…I refuse to leave his side!” Mabel almost panicked and Stan looked absolutely devastated, “Ok, sweetheart, please just calm down,” the old man with the fez tried to calm down and comfort the young girl, ”I'll send Soos to bring you some food and stuff,” Stan said, turning to leave the room, leaving Mabel with Dipper who was still sleeping.

 

Stan sighed heavily as he stepped into the corridor. The fez wearing man grit his teeth angrily and clenched his hands into fists, wanting to punch that damn demon into face. He never wanted Dipper and Mabel to get in trouble, but no matter how hard he had tried to protect those two, something serious had finally happened. If Dipper had not snooped around so much, getting into all kinds of trouble, this might never have happened. Now the kid was in a coma like state and it might never recover.

 _What am I going to do about the hospital bills?_ Stan pondered furiously, trying to come up with possible solutions. He'd do everything he could to help Dipper, but he knew he didn't have the funds to keep the boy’s condition monitored like this. Dipper’s body was going to wither away and die if someone didn’t take care of him.

 _Is there anything I can do to help Dipper?_ Stan though and started to feel desperate as more and more problems just piled on top of one another. He'd have to check his books as well for information, but he was pretty sure he had never come across anything about deals with Cipher in his brother's other journals.

 

* * *

 

Dipper yelled in surprise and fear as he fell through the endless dark void. He had been falling for what felt like an eternity...or was he flying upwards? Nothing around him had any rhyme or reason to it and he had no sense of direction anymore. Up was down, left was right and it was impossible to tell which was he was going. Colours flashed before his eyes and he could see planets and stars in the distance but they faded away one by one and the sizes were all whack too. Strange creatures and geometric shapes that were impossible to fathom passed him by, some staying for a moment to circle the young boy who had caught their interest. But, they all quickly left him alone, probably sensing that there was a being more powerful than them interested in the child.

Finally, the colours, planets, stars and shapes faded away completely and Dipper’s fall quickly came to halt when he hit something he suspected was the ground, but he couldn't be sure since there was total darkness around him, even if he could see his own body like it was daylight.

 _This makes no sense at all,_ Dipper thought as he gazed around him and his own form, _it is pitch black, yet I can see my own body with no trouble even when this is supposed to be impossible._

 

“Where am I?” the young boy wondered out loud as he crawled up onto his knees. He gazed around but when he saw nothing, a familiar sense of fear started to take over his mind. He started looking around desperately in hopes of finding some doorway that lead somewhere, anywhere, but there was nothing.

 _There has to be a way to escape this place before Bill finds me,_ the boy thought and kept trying to find a way out of the darkness but it was just an endless black area with nothing.

“Welcome to the my realm Pine tree! Sorry for taking so long, but I had a couple of errands to run,” Dipper suddenly heard that overly mirthful voice that belonged to none other than Bill Cipher himself, the dream demon who had taken him here. Dipper shielded his eyes when the bright golden triangle appeared in the blackness of the void, and the way he appeared to the young boy told him that Cipher was in total control in this realm. His form shone brilliantly in the utter darkness as if he was some divined being, yet, there was nothing warm or friendly about the light.

“Well, what ya think? Pretty homely if you ask me,” The triangle cackled and looked around himself, “Needs a bit more decoration I guess, but you know what, I created this just for you,” Bill paused, circling around Dipper who didn't dare to move, “so I don't think you have much right to complain Pine tree, besides it is not like you need any furniture here,” the demon continued. Cipher’s single eye focused on Dipper who was trying to get up from what he suspected was a floor of some sort. However, the boy’s movements were unsure and he lost his balance when the triangle stopped in front of his face, moving a black hand to lift his chin slightly.

“Ah, watching humans try to move in here is always fun,” Cipher cackled and was clearly amused by Dipper’s clumsy movements, “but don’t worry kiddo, you’ll get the hang of it.”

“Where am I? Is this inside my mind or?” the young Pines boy demanded when he finally managed to get up with wobbly legs, fearing constantly that he was going to fall down once more. Bill just rolled his single eye, scoffing slightly,

“As I said, this my realm. We are no longer in mindscape but nightmare realm. Surely even an idiot like you has figured that out already,” Cipher snorted but Dipper merely looked angry, trying to take a step back when the triangle hovered uncomfortably close to him, “and it is a wonderful realm, not as fun as yours though,” Bill continued and poked Dipper’s pine tree hat, “But I’m sure that with your help, we’ll get to have one heck of a party over there in no time.”

“I won’t help you, Cipher, and you know that,” Dipper stated before looking around furiously, “How do I get out of here? Tell me now Cipher! You can’t hold me here forever. Our deal says that!” The boy demanded, hoping that Bill would at least give him a hint, but the demon merely cackled like Dipper had told the best joke ever,

“Oh you are funny, Pine tree. You know, I could create a portal for your soul to return to your world, but why would I do that?” the triangle asked cruelly, petting Dipper's cheek in a way that made the boy turn his head in disgust, “After all you just arrived and we have a nice long while to play together.”

Dipper knew it was useless, but he really wanted some distance between him and Bill who was being way too friendly and constantly kept invading his personal space, “Don’t touch me Cipher,” Dipper stated angrily and took steps backwards, “and I think a good while has passed already, so let me go! Return me to my body.”

Again, the triangle demon just looked unimpressed, closing his eye and turning slightly from side to side, as if shaking his head in disapproval, “cute Pine tree, but this is dreamscape and we do things my way from now on.”

The top hat wearing triangle then seemed to remember something, “Oh right, I almost forgot,” he said and snapped his fingers loudly and in an instant, the young Pines boy could feel something tight around his neck. He then heard a sickening sound of long and thin chain rattling and to his horror he saw a bright blue ethereal chain appear in Bill's hand. Dipper could feel his heart start to race and lips tremble when he touched his neck, only to confirm that there was indeed a collar around it.

“My, that does look good on you!” Cipher laughed, yanking the chain a bit to make Dipper fall forwards onto his knees, “Ah, human crawling on his knees and worshiping me, man it has been ages since I’ve had this.”

“Take it off!” the boy begged the dream demon who just eyed him with half lid eye. The collar felt uncomfortably tight around his neck and while it did not block his airway, it felt maddening and Dipper wanted to tear it off, “I will never worship you BIll, even if you do enter my world and destroy it.”

 

“Believe me kiddo, by the time I’m done with you, all you will have are wonderful nightmares given by me, so I will be your god,” the triangle gave a short laugh, caressing Dipper’s brunette hair gently, “with me controlling your dreams I might as well be a deity to you,” the demon stated to Dipper’s confusion, only to yank the chain roughly to force the boy onto the floor of the dark space, “well, to be honest this chain is pretty useless since you can't leave this space without my permission, but you have to admit that the collar does look wonderful on you, Pine tree. You'd make a perfect servant for a god,” Bill cackled and swung the end of the chain in his hand playfully, clearly loving the now fearful look the boy had in his eyes when he lift his gaze up.

“A god? Hate to make a reality check, Cipher, but you are not a god,” Dipper snapped at the demon who merely glanced at his triangle body and scoffed out loud, as if Dipper was being laughable,

“Right, like you have the right to look at me in that form,” the demon said before taking a moment to ponder something, “but you know what, I like you, so I guess I can make an exception with you Pine tree,” the triangle finally stated and snapped his fingers loudly.

Dipper closed his eyes once more when Bill's body was engulfed by that golden light and aura that felt absolutely malicious and evil, but he could see the triangle take another form and when the light had faded Dipper found himself staring at almost 2 meter tall humanoid looking Bill, “humanoid looking” being relative.

Dipper gaped his mouth at the demon who was smirking at him with gleeful look in his golden eyes.

 

“Do you like it? Admit it, you like it,” Bill laughed, grinning so wide that a row of razor sharp teeth showed. The pines boy realized his mouth was gaping as he stared at Bill's humanoid form that had 6 arms, all which turned black mid arm and his hands were like almost claw like with long fingers with sharp nails. His ears were slightly pointed and the other side of his head was shaved while the other was elegantly combed to the side. His hair was mix of black and gold and the demon’s tall body and arms were covered in tattoos and magical circle.

 _He could easily bite someone's arm off with those,_ Dipper found himself thinking as he eyed those razor sharp teeth.

But perhaps the most peculiar thing about the demon was the third eye on the forehead that was closed at the moment.

“But...but you were a triangle,” Dipper found himself muttering, unable to take his eyes of the exotic looking demon who had shifted his weight onto other leg, one pair of arms crossed over his chest. Dipper was not sure what to think about this form...and for some reason he found him almost handsome…monstrous but handsome.

“Oh that, it is simply a reflection in your realm. You know Pine tree, my form is not that bound. If the humans saw what I really was like, majority of them would go instantly mad...and where is the fun in that?” Bill laughed, making Dipper pout and look at him defiantly.

“I can handle this form just fine! You aren't so tough as you think you are Cipher,” Dipper growled defiantly at the demon while trying to tear the magical blue collar off. In his anger, the pines boy had forgotten that he was in fact staring up at almost 2 meter tall demon who could easily tear his limbs off if he wanted to. Cipher gave him a bored expression and put another pair of arms onto his narrow hips before rolling his eyes again, lifting one of his hands to flick Dipper's fore head quite painfully.

“Ugh, you humans are so stupid...you think this is my true form? This is merely something I find more comfortable,” the dream demon explained, yanking the chain to pull Dipper closer to him. The golden-eyed man’s grin only widened when he knelt down, still towering over Dipper who had fallen onto his knees. The boy was scrambling to get up onto his feet so that he wouldn’t look weak, but was paralyzed when he felt Bill brush one of his numerous hands against his cheek, a sharp black nail scratching the surface of his skin slightly.

Suddenly, Dipper could see the shadows that were darker than the blackness itself around them. Only then did he realize that it was in fact Bill's shadow; a massive silhouette with countless hands and numerous tentacles. The form was twisted and defied all logic and reason.

The demon smiled dangerously and possessively when he saw Dipper's bright and innocent eyes widen in terror, his mind trying to understand the small glimpse of his captor’s form that no human should ever see.  

“Get away from me, Cipher!” The pines boy suddenly yelled and tried to pry Bill's hand from his face but the demon just tightened his hold on Dipper’s jaw, not wanting to let go of his prize.

 

“I don’t think I will, Pine tree,” Bill cackled in almost insane manner, his eyes narrowed maliciously due to the wide and nasty grin on his face that showed the sharp row of teeth. He forced Dipper to stare into his eyes…or more precisely, his third eye that was still closed; “you are in my realm now kiddo, and you will stay with me here as long as I want you to. If your physical form withers and dies in your world, you will never be able to leave,” the dream demon purred and caressed the boy’s face and body with his numerous sharp-clawed arms. His razor sharp nails left scratches and cuts along Dipper’s arms and neck, “doesn’t that sound like fun? I’m going to love playing with you,” Bill whispered, pulling the boy upwards, “Now…look into my eye and let the nightmare take you Pine tree, you’ll love it, I promise.”

Dipper felt a shiver of fear run down his spine and he closed his eyes the moment that golden eye opened on Bill’s forehead, inviting his mind into the never-ending nightmare.

“NO! Let go of me Bill! Let me out of this realm now,” Dipper cried out and thrashed hard in Cipher’s hold, but the demon took hold of his small form with 5 arms while one still held the leash.

“Calm down Pine tree, it is not like you are going to die…nothing can kill you in my realm if I don’t want it,” the golden haired demon purred before sneering at the kid in malicious manner, “though I can’t say the same about your mind…it might break after few days, weeks…depending how quickly Shooting Star comes to her senses and decides to help me out.”

Dipper’s whole body trembled when he felt Bill leaning closer so that their faces almost touched,

“Open your eyes, Pine tree, I have so many wonderful nightmares to show you,” the demon continued in calm manner even if the boy could hear him start to get frustrated and angry. Finally after a moment, the tall demon shook his small form quite violently, “Kid, I swear if you don’t open your eyes now, I will rip your eye lids off!” The demon hissed and the young Pines boy knew that Bill was not lying.

Even if this was just his soul…the sensations and feelings in dreamscape felt like the real world…if anything, he was more vulnerable here.

“This is your soul kid, I can destroy you so that if you ever get back to your body, you will be so damaged that it won’t matter,” Bill promised him in sinister tone, “so, if you open your eyes now, I promise that I won’t instantly destroy your weak little mind.”  
Dipper couldn’t take it anymore. He rarely cried, almost never, but now couple of tears trickled down his face. Bill’s hold on his body was vice-like and it felt like his bones were about to break. Even though Cipher had threatened to destroy his mind and rip his eyelids off, he couldn’t do it, he was too afraid to look into the demon’s third eye that would consume his mind into endless nightmare.

“Its ok Pine tree,” Bill cackled and brushed a thumb across Dipper’s cheek, smearing the tears onto his skin, “you should be afraid of me…but you can only blame yourself for being stupid enough to make that deal,” the golden haired man purred before pulling Dipper against his tall form, the numerous hands snaking around the young kid, “You’ll be my toy and pet until I get what I want…as soon as your sister grants me a way to enter your world, I’m sure you can return there as well. So until then, just be a good boy and do as I want,” the golden haired demon purred while caressing the boy’s cheek possessively.

“Open your eyes for me, Dipper, and look…” Bill whispered, using the boy’s nickname instead of “Pine tree”.

Finally, Dipper opened his eyes and found himself staring directly at Bill’s leering face, his grin so wide that the sharp row of teeth showed, “Good boy…now relax and look into my eyes, I will see you through the nightmare,” Bill whispered.

Dipper’s eyes focused on the third eye on the demon’s forehead. The malicious gold hue of it pulled his mind deeper and deeper into the sweet oblivion, consuming it and before the boy knew it, he was taken by a sweet mind-shattering nightmare. It hypnotized him and made his body go limp in Bill’s hold.

A cruel and smug smile formed on Bill’s lips when he saw Dipper open his eyes and look directly into his third eye that just swallowed the boy’s feeble mind, pulling it into a world of nightmares and horrors no mortal being would be able to endure for too long. And the best part was that he controlled and could observe everything.

“I hope Shooting star will come to her senses quickly and strike a deal with me,” Bill murmured as he ran one of his dark hands through Dipper’s hair, smiling sweetly at the boy who was just staring at his golden third eye, “not that it really matters,” the demon continued as he sat down and held Dipper in his numerous arms, wanting to just hold the hypnotized boy who intrigued him so much. He had now full control over the nightmares Dipper was experiencing and it was just so delicious and exhilarating to show him all the terrors and insanity he could conjure up, flavoring and spicing them up with the boy’s own memories.

He’d use Dipper’s most painful memories and dearest loved ones to mess with his mind. The dream demon smiled victoriously and quite possessively as he just held Dipper close against his naked chest, petting Dipper’s head lovingly. By the time he was done with his prey, he’d never want to leave the pleasant nightmare. He’d reward Dipper with pleasant dreams if he behaved so that eventually the boy wouldn’t want to leave the world he’d create for him.

 

“I will never give you back to your sister.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooo what will Bill do with Dipper and will Mabel ever get her bro-bro back? Probably for a brief moment. I hope Dipper won't fall for Bill's manipulation and tricks.  
> Thanks for reading! I love you all.


	5. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeyy, I'm a slow writer.... /Cry.

A truly twisted and malicious smile formed on Bill's lips as he held the sleeping boy in his numerous arms, his golden eyes shining dimly in the utter darkness of the nightmare realm. Having the young Pines boy fully under his control and mercy was probably one of the most exhilarating and exciting things that had happened to Cipher in a while and he was sure as hell going to enjoy this to the fullest.

The sleeping boy's mind was his to torment and destroy if he wanted to, it was his personal playground and soon enough, the demon would know the boy better than even his sister did.

Bill would find every little secret Dipper carried inside his heart, everything he tried to keep from the rest of the world. He'd know what pained him, what made him sad...and eventually, everything about the boy would be his.

There was absolutely nothing more enjoyable than subjecting Dipper to never ending nightmares, each more horrifying than the previous one. Knowing that he could easily wreck and destroy everything in his playground if he wanted to was an absolute thrill to Cipher, but he was careful not to break his favorite toy.

The golden haired demon used and abused every traumatic and painful experience and memory he could dig up from the depths of the boy's mind to torture and torment him.

He brought back the painful memories that had faded away over the years, making Pine Tree re-live them again with the emotional impact and damage as powerful as the day they had happened. Not only was the demon making Dipper experience his most nightmarish experiences again, but he also spiced it all up with horrendous things and images, leaving the boy trembling and whimpering in his embrace.

One moment Dipper's teeth would fall out while he was being ridiculed by his friends, unable to talk or call for help, the next, he was holding his sister's head that was laughing at him like the bullies in the school. Perhaps the worst ones were where he was running through a dark forest looking for Mabel who had ran ahead of him into the darkness. The black, rotten and twisted trees were covered in eyes that were watching him, wanting him. Eventually he'd trip and fall, only to be taken by the forest...the trees turning into a single triangle shaped monster with thousands of teeth, devouring him whole.

“Poor foolish Pine tree, are you enjoying your nightmares?” Bill inquired from the child who was holding his head, eyes shut tight with few tears rolling down his face. One of Bill's hands traveled up and down Dipper's back in somewhat comforting manner, even if the demon held purely dark thoughts towards his prisoner.

“I have no intentions of giving you back to Shooting Star, you are just too much fun to have around...” the multi armed god sighed and pushed few straws of the boy's brown hair aside to see the birthmark better, his finger tips brushing gently across it. The blue baseball cap was left forgotten on the dark surface of the realm, “you are mine Pine Tree, and creating personal nightmares for you is an absolute delight.”

Bill, who had been day dreaming about his arrival in Gravity Falls and the havoc he'd bring with him, fixated his eyes on his prisoner when the boy let out a fearful and utterly hopeless whimper. The six armed blond demon with tattoos decorating his body tightened his hold on his toy when the young human thrashed and trembled in his embrace, his current nightmare reaching its horrifying climax. The human was was so small and soft...so easily broken if he wanted to. But why would he do that when the kid was so much fun to have a round?

“No no no no..please....” Dipper kept repeating while holding his head, nails digging into his flesh as he fought in the dream to hold onto Mabel who had fallen.

His hold on her arm was slipping and he was not strong enough to pull her up. She was begging him to save her. The boy's breathing became frantic and he was clearly panicking.

 _Looks like Pine Tree cannot endure much longer, shame, I was just getting to the good parts,_ Bill thought when he could feel the boy's mind starting to fall slowly apart and into the sweet oblivion. He had tormented Dipper for days and the treatment was clearly starting to get to the boy's psyche. Too many horrors and it would break completely and the golden demon had no intentions of letting his toy experience the release of losing one's mind into the void.

With a soft and somewhat disappointed sigh the blond snapped his fingers loudly and in an instant the boy opened his eyes accompanied with a fearful gasp. However, the expression of relief Dipper had when he woke up quickly turned into one of hopelessness and fear when he realized that he was being held by Bill whose laughter echoed in the vast emptiness of the nightmare world. Dipper could feel his heart drop when he understood that he had merely woken from one nightmare to another.

The nightmarish visions had melded together into what had felt like an eternity of terror that refused to end. He couldn't tell where one dream began and other ended. It had been pure and painful madness.

The demon let out a quiet chuckle when he saw Dipper's lip tremble slightly when their eyes met again. Despite being a brave, smart and resourceful boy...Pine tree was just a kid, well pre-teen to be more precise, at least for a week or two.

“Aww, what's wrong? Aren't you having nice dreams?” the golden haired man with 3 eyes asked, his fingers trailing feather lightly over the boy's dipper shaped birthmark, “I made them just for you. Which one was your favorite?” 4 of his arms kept the boy in his embrace while two caressed and petted him. Dipper let out a whimper of protest and tried to free himself from the demon's embrace with weak results. If Bill wanted, he could break his body with his strong arms in an instant.

The boy's heart started to race as he was held against his will by his enemy, the demon who wanted to bring madness into his world. When he realized that getting out of Cipher's hold was impossible, Dipper closed his eyes and tried to calm down and banish the horrible memories of the nightmares Bill had made him see. All he wanted was to forget the horrors and escape this chaotic realm.

 _I should have been wiser. Why did I trust him?_ Dipper thought desperately, wanting to just return to his sister who must be worried sick.

“Bill, don't make me see those again, please...Just let me return to my world! It has been a while already and you can't keep me here forever,” Dipper whispered hopelessly, “you've had your fun.”

“One's perception of time is relative Pine tree, its not my fault if a human life span is just a blink of an eye for me,” the demon cackled loudly and ruffled Dipper's brown hair, “ man, you are so hilarious Pine tree! The painful memories of being bullied at school? Being all awkward and unable to make friends while your sister is a shooting star and befriends everyone so easily...it is just so amusingly painful!” the demon said, grinning from ear to ear so that his sharp teeth showed.

“What did you think of the dream where you accidentally shoved your sister and killed her out of jealousy? The way everyone blamed you?” the demon asked, as if the nightmares he made the boy see were the greatest entertainment for him, “you know, I think that one is my favorite so far,” Bill murmured, grabbing Dipper's chin and forcing him to stare into his eyes, “Maybe I should play it on loop?”

“No..not that one,” the young boy said quietly, making Bill tilt his head and let out small and evaluating “Mmm” his eyes half lidded.

“Well, what should we try next then, Pine Tree?” Bill wondered out loud while going through a mental list of nightmares he had already shown to Dipper. The scenarios he could create were endless and he had found out that the boy reacted very strongly to his family and normal life mixed with madness. Being chased in the dream by a monster didn't really torment the boy as much as it might a younger kid, but mix it up with guilt and loss of loved one and you had a wonderful nightmare.

Four days had passed already in the human realm and the demon had decided to bide his time, not contacting Mabel or Stan to make them desperate and fearful. It was so much more easier to trick people into bad deals when they were desperate. Besides, Shooting Star had stayed awake for the whole time so there had been no opportunities to approach her.

“Please, Bill..stop it, I don't want to see any more nightmares,” Dipper kept repeating as he rested against Bill who was petting him in almost comforting manner, “let me just go back to Gravity Falls!”

During the 4 days, Bill had showed Dipper an agonizing amount of nightmares. At first his little prisoner had manage to endure them commendably, fighting him and trying to get away despite the chain around his neck. But, slowly but surely the boy's mental resilience had started to wear down, making him vulnerable to the terrors and madness.

Much to the demon's twisted pleasure, the boy tried to seek comfort from him while begging him not to trap him in yet another nightmare.

“I can't take any more of this,” the brunette said quietly, a shiver running down his spine when he felt Bill's hands move across his body, the sharp claws ready to tear him into shreds.

“I just want to go home, back to Mabel and Grunkle Stan,” Dipper whispered as he was forced to look into those malicious golden eyes, “I don't want this”

The nightmare demon let out a loud and amused cackle,

“Oh Pine tree, you have no idea how much we still have to experience together, if anything, you've only had a taste of what I can put you through if I want to and believe me, the nightmares and madness I can subjugate your mind to will keep me amused for a good _**while**_ ;” Bill purred as he caressed Dipper's head soothingly while holding the leash in one hand.

 

Dipper's body was trembling now and he couldn't pull his mind from all the horrible nightmares Bill had plagued him with so far. They had been horrendous visions of painful memories, insanity and madness. The worst thing was that whenever the nightmare ended, he was ushered into a new one. It was laughable that now that he was in Bill's hold and awake, he actually felt relieved.

“Just let me be like this for a moment, I..I don't want to have anymore nightmares,” Dipper whispered desperately, “I don't want to see Mabel, Grunkle Stan, my parents or friends die over and over again. Just let me be like this for a moment,” The boy muttered quietly and rested his forehead against Bill's chest when the demon let go of his chin.

He feared facing Bill who was playing with his hair. Looking into those golden eyes would make him see more dreams.

Bill smiled victoriously, loving how his little prisoner begged him to let him just rest in his embrace for a moment, free of the nightmares that had haunted him for days. It was almost adorable to see the defeated look in the boy's eyes. Dipper knew that no matter what, he'd soon have to experience the terrors again if he didn't make some sort of a deal with his captor.

Despite being so smart and independent, in the end the boy was still so very young.

For a moment, the blond multi-armed demon just let Dipper rest against his tall form, slightly cradled by the many arms.

Yet, Dipper couldn't stop trembling since he knew this was only a fleeting moment of peace. The demon's warm embrace kept the coldness of the vast and empty dark space at bay, and on some level, being held by someone, even if it was Bill, felt comforting to the young boy.

Dipper had to remind himself that he was in an embrace of a demon who only had dark and malicious intentions for him. He wanted to torment and probably destroy his mind and the world.

“You know Pine tree,” Bill's voice pierced the silence between them, ”I could make a small deal with you,” the demon whispered mirthfully, tempting his captive.

For a moment, Dipper remained silent, not wanting to acknowledge the demon whose deals only brought pain and madness. Yet, eventually the Pines boy found himself looking up into Bill's golden eyes that eyed him somewhat hungrily...as if he wanted for his soul and mind.

It was clear that the price would be too high.

“I'll return you to your body, and as a counter favor, you'll help me into your world, no matter what or how long it takes. You will not leave Gravity Falls until I am there,” the tall demon purred, offering one hand with glowing blue aura to Dipper, “agree, and I will stop the nightmares. Isn't that what you want?” Bill inquired, loving the scared, yet somewhat tempted look reflected in the boy's eyes, “sounds like a fair deal to me, Pine Tree...you know, I'm being very generous here.”

Knowing that there would be no more nightmares if he agreed was a seductive offer to Dipper, but he knew that if he helped the triangle demon into his world, the terror would start anew and then the whole world would be consumed by madness.

“You wouldn't come after me or my family?” Dipper asked only to have Bill cackle and leer at him as if he had told the best joke ever,

“I refuse make a deal like that. This time I'll make the rules, you'll just have to take what I offer,” the god like demon stated with a nasty grin, “too bad for you.”

He lifted Dipper's chin up slightly with 2 fingers, “It'd be boring if I couldn't play with my favorite toy.”

The boy couldn't endure the demon staring at him and cast his gaze down once again.

“Then...then my answer is no,” Dipper replied, trying to sound defiant despite being afraid, “and I am not your toy, Cipher,” he added, his temper flaring up ever so slightly. A part of him still tried to think of a way out of the nightmare world, despite the horrifying and maddening dreams Bill had forced him to experience.

Bill's smile turned smug and he removed his hand, patting Dipper's cheek playfully a couple of times, “doesn't matter, either your sister, uncle or someone else in Gravity Falls will help me. Until then...I'll keep you with me.”

Dipper could feel the hopelessness of it all settle in once more. It was all useless. He could either spend some time with his family and friends while helping Bill enter the Gravity Falls and create a horrible world, or wait here with him until it happened anyway.

 _I simply cannot win...I've doomed myself and probably the town by making that deal with Bill_ , Dipper realized.

“All I can hope for is that no one makes a deal with you, even if it means I'll have to stay and eternity here,” Dipper thought out loud. It was absolutely devastating thought.

“It will happen one day eventually, whether it happens in your life time or not doesn't really matter to me,” the demon stated with a shrug, only to smile in somewhat predatory manner, the numerous arms pulling Dipper tighter against him.

“Its a pity really,” the dream demon stated with a playful grin, “just moments ago you were being so adorably cute. We could have a blast together but you humans are just so single minded and unreasonable,” Cipher sighed.

Dipper's lip trembled slightly and he kept his eyes downcast, not wanting to look at Bill who was going to continue the nightmares now for sure.

“No...,” Dipper said quietly, the demon's warm body feeling oddly comforting against his small hands. The multi-armed demon was the only visible thing in the darkness, looking so radiant and powerful. Bill was the only person to keep him company, yet he was the source of his nightmares.

“Mmm?” Bill let out, knowing very well what Dipper meant. It was just so cute to have the boy both headstrong about not making a deal with him and afraid of making him see the horrors again.

“I don't want to see the dreams again.”  
“But they are so much fun to me...and I've made them just for you Pine tree.”

“Please,” the boy almost whimpered but didn't resist when Bill lift his head gently, his thumb brushing over the young human's soft lips.

“Tell you what Pine Tree, since you've been so well behaved, I'll let you have a nice dream for a change,” the demon purred, eyes half lid and shining with golden hue as he gazed deep into Dipper's eyes.

The young boy felt a moment of comfort and relief as Bill's beautiful eyes fixated on his, drawing his mind in as the demon's numerous arms touched and moved him gently.

Before Dipper even knew it, his mind was wrapped in a soft and pleasant dream in which he was surrounded by his family and friends. It was absolutely perfect and beautiful in every way´and felt like a piece of heaven among all the painful dreams.

The demon chuckled softly as he wrapped his arms once more around the sleeping boy in a possessive manner so that no one could take his toy away from him.

“You might not escape into your imagination like your sister often does, but eventually all you want to do is dream with me,” Bill stated. Dipper would come to love the madness and learn that the blond demon was the only one capable of giving him a moment of happiness.

* * *

 

Mabel wasn't sure how long she had been sitting on the edge of her bed, just staring at the empty bed across hers, the one Dipper had used only few nights ago before he had been taken to the hospital. The young Pines girl sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes into her jumper's sleeve; they were red and sore from all the crying. It just felt so painful, knowing that her beloved brother, her twin was trapped in his dream and unable to wake up.

The doctors were somewhat baffled by her brother's condition. Unlike normal coma patient, Dipper clearly showed signs of being in sleep cycle, actively dreaming and reacting to the things he experienced by shifting, whimpering and muttering words like, “No,” “Stop,” I can't..Bill please...no more dreams...please.”

“Dipper,” the girl whispered desperately and felt like she could burst into tears once more any moment. Mabel had spent days at the hospital but eventually Grunkle Stan had carried her back to the Mystery Shack to rest despite the vocal and somewhat childishly violent protests. Grenda and Candy had tried to comfort and cheer her up, bringing Dipper “get well soon” cards ect. But nothing helped and the usually happy and overly optimistic girl was now too tired to even smile.

At times Mabel did find herself wondering, _what if this is just a nightmare conjured by Bill Cipher?_ Dealing with mysterious creatures like gnomes, goblins, fairies and other beings, demons even, made Mabel question her own reality. What if she was someone else's dream, her existence ending the moment that person woke up?

 _Don't think stupid things Mabel_ , the young Pines girl scolded herself, _when you get tired you think of foolish things when you should try coming up with a plan to save your brother from that horrible demon!_

 

Grunkle Stan had called their parents even though they were traveling across the vast sea on a business trip. Of course she had sneaked closer to listen to the call, only to find that her Grunkle had been unable to tell her parents the truth...he had only said that Dipper had had a small accident while adventuring and that he was still enjoying time and the rest of the summer with them.

The young girl knew she'd never forget how Grunkle Stan lied out of desperation, wishing that Dipper would just wake up.

_Mabel hugged her knees as she sat against the wall next to the door. In the room behind her, Grunkle Stan was talking with her mother,_

“ _Oh the kids are having a great time, learning valuable life lessons and how to be responsible and so on...you know the important stuff.”_

_Mabel could feel hot tears fall down her cheeks and she wiped them away with her hands, trying to keep the soft sob down so that Stan wouldn't know she was there. The old man's talking went on and on for a while,_

“ _Uh, actually I need to tell you something about your son...Dipper is in,” Stan started and Mabel felt like there was a lump of tar in her heart, pressing painfully against her chest,_

“ _Dipper.....he just had a small accident a couple of days ago when we went to have great family time with Mabel! Oh it is nothing serious, just few scratches and hurt leg, nothing a little sleep couldn't cure. He...he is going to be alright.”_

_At that moment, Mabel had burst into tears and ran up the stairs and into her room, not wanting to talk with Grunkle Stan for a while._

 

 _Would Stan make a deal with Bill to get my brother back_? Mabel pondered, not liking any of the possibilities presented to her.

The Pines girl swayed slightly on the bed and glanced through the window. It was night and the moon was full, looking ominous against the pitch black night sky.

Mabel had not slept for days and the sleep deprivation was finally getting the better of her, making her doze off every now and then and constantly yawn. Maybe the worst thing was, that she feared Bill appearing in her dreams to taunt her, to try and trick her to make a bad deal.

“Give my brother back to me, don't you dare hurt him,” Mabel whispered when her eyes focused on the triangle shape on the window, only to flinch when she heard a glass bottle shatter downstairs.

Stan had taken Dipper's condition really hard. He probably felt like he had not been able to protect his nephew. Even though the aging man tried to stay stoic it was clear that his mind and heart was in turmoil, after all he hadn't even been able to tell their parents the truth, choosing to lie through his teeth rather than tell what had happened to her brother.

 _I will do anything to save Dipper,_ Mabel thought, _I will show that stupid triangle not to mess with me and my brother. I will never forgive him!_

Mabel lied down on the bed, curling up slightly beneath the covers while eying the triangle shape on the window as if it was the demon itself.

“I swear I'll punch you into that single eye of yours if you don't let Dipper wake up,” Mabel whispered defiantly at the triangle, not able to stay happy and positive anymore. Without her twin, she felt lonely and the thought of losing him completely to the nightmare demon was terrifying. The loss of her brother had created a void in her heart that nor Grenda nor Candy could fill. It was a wound that ached painfully and she wanted to get rid of the pain.

Slowly but surely, the lack of sleep and both physical and emotional exhaustion took over Mabel who quickly fell into a restless sleep.

 

* * *

 

Bill's golden eyes shone slightly in the darkness as he held Dipper against his tall form once more, one of his numerous hands caressing the boy's soft brown hair as he observed the dream Dipper was having. If he wanted, he could manifest himself in the boy's dream, but he rarely did so. He wanted those moments to be special.

 _I knew Pine Tree would make a good pet_ , Bill thought as he held the boy who was in deep and peaceful sleep, for now. In an instant, he could turn that warm and happy dream into a mind breaking nightmare.

 _I am a god to him, he just doesn't realize it yet,_ Cipher chuckled maliciously with somewhat dreamy look on his face; his golden eyes half-lidded.

The boy just intrigued him so much. Pine Tree was clever, brave, yet at times naive and foolish. His social clumsiness and inability to make friends also drew the demon in. Often times, Dipper was lonely without his sister who possessed such a vivid imagination and extrovert persona.

 _I want your soul and mind completely Pine Tree. I'll show you how wonderful it is to escape into the fake world of insanity and illusions,_ the demon thought with a malicious look in his eyes as he nuzzled Dipper's neck, _you'll crave for the dreams I can give you._

 

“Hm?” Bill suddenly let out and turned his head slightly when he sensed someone in Gravity Falls he had been following fall asleep, “oh, looks like Shooting Star finally gave in and fell asleep. How wonderful,” Bill muttered and turned his gaze back to Dipper who was resting. The boy was still experiencing the wonderful and happy dream that the demon had observed himself. It was just so sappy and disgustingly boring.

_In time, I'm the only thing you dare to dream of because dreaming of your family will be too painful._

“I think your pause is over now Pine Tree”, the demon said gleefully, knowing exactly how to destroy that cozy and comforting dream in a way that would leave Dipper desperately lonely and devastated.

“I'll be back soon,” Bill sighed and rested Dipper gently onto the pitch black surface of his realm before standing up. His eyes narrowed dangerously,

“by the time I'm done with you, you'll give me your soul and mind willingly just so that it'd end,” the six armed nightmare demon purred as he conjured more magical blue chains that snaked around Dipper to keep him powerless even if he somehow managed to wake up.

 

The demon tilted his head slightly to the side, admiring the sleeping, “sweet dreams,” Cipher whispered, only to add, “idiot,” before leaning over to flick the boy's forehead painfully with his fingers. Bill then straightened his back and snapped his fingers loudly to turn the sweet dream Dipper was having into a nightmare, this one probably the worst one so far.

 

* * *

 

_Mabel found herself staring at the ceiling of her and Dipper's shared room. It felt like she had only few seconds ago closed her eyes. Had she slept without dreaming the whole night?_

“ _At least that stupid triangle didn't bother me,” The Pines girl muttered angrily, even if a small part of her wished he had so that she could demand to get her brother back. However, the moment she sat up on the bed Mabel felt like something was not right. The whole room just looked awfully twisted to her. The angles were just all wrong and the colour had been drained from the room, leaving it gray._

“ _What the heck?” the young girl muttered and only then she noticed that every poster, every magazine cover, and photos on the open pages had eyes staring at her and into her soul with malice._

_The young girl let out a shriek of terror and rolled off the bed, only to fall onto the floor ungracefully. Mabel quickly scrambled up onto her feet and looked around her to see if there was someone in the room with her, but saw no one._

_Mabel started to panic and just when she was about to throw something at one of the eyes on the wall staring at her, she heard a familiar, mirthful, but undeniably malicious cackle. She froze, looking around her in attempt to detect the source of the laughter._

“ _Show yourself you stupid triangle!” Mabel demanded angrily, her temper getting the better of her despite the fear, “I'm not going to play with you, if you don't appear right now I'm going to bite my arm until I wake up!” the Pines girl threatened and brought her fore arm close to her mouth and braced teeth, ready to gnaw her arm like she did when she realized she was dreaming in order to wake up._

_As a response the shadows shifted, swirling before her until they materialized into the golden triangle that was the only colourful thing in the otherwise gray room.  
“Shees, Shooting Star, you sure sound tense,” Bill scoffed, as if she lacked all manners and sense of humor, ”Did you have a bad day or something? Maybe a couple? No, actually let me guess...I'd say 4 full days,” the triangle inquired maliciously, knowing very well he was the source of her pain._

_Before Mabel had a chance to reply in any manner other than gawking at him, the demon continued._

“ _Oh you look like you've cried too! Tell you what Shooting Star, why don't we have a nice cup of tea and you tell your good ol' friend Bill all about it, what do ya say?” Bill asked and summoned a cute small teacup and plate next to Mabel who was in shock, her eyes fixating on the cup that offered itself to her._

“ _I don't want your stupid tea!” she screamed and slapped the floating teacup away, but the cup and plate vanished before they hit the wall, “I want my brother back!”  
“Straight to the point eh?” Bill asked, his hands on his 'hips,' “Well to your luck, that's fine by me.”_

“ _You took Dipper against his will and now he is trapped sleeping on a hospital bed,” Mabel almost cried, her eyes blazing and filled with determination. All she knew was that this demon had taken her brother, tricking him into making a foul deal with him._

“ _Relax, Shooting Star, I'm merely borrowing him for a time being,” Bill said, rolling his eye and checking his nails, clearly disinterested in the girl who was seething. She was menial to him._

“ _For how long exactly!?” Mabel demanded and pointed at the demon in accusing manner, “the deal said a while and it has been 4 days already. You are hurting him!”  
“You know Shooting Star, I can't really answer that since I'm having so much fun with your brother. It really might take a long while before I get bored of him,” Bill stated and circled around Mabel, making the girl feel uncomfortable, “I don't think I'll ever want to let him go,” the demon cackled before fixating his eye on Mabel, “all he does is sleep, its not my fault if something happens to him.” _

_Mabel had been somewhat protected from the hardships of life and now that her world had turned upside down, it felt horrible._

“ _Bill, just give my brother back, please,” Mabel whispered, bowing her head slightly and clenching her hands into fists._

“ _Well Shooting Star, since you asked so nicely...maybe we could make a small arrangement, you help me, and I'll return good ol' Pine Tree to you,” Bill said._

“ _What?” Mabel asked dumbfounded, not believing that Bill was actually trying to get her to make a deal with him. Her brother made a mistake, thinking he could outwit the demon in order to help Stan. She'd learn from his mistake. Mabel knew she was not as smart as Dipper, so she knew better not to even try to bargain with a demon._

“ _You help me, and I'll help you...sounds fair, don't ya think?” the dangerous demon asked and offered his hand to Mabel, the blue magical fire burning around it._

_The blue flame reflected in Mabel's eyes and for a fleeting moment, she was tempted to make that deal, to have Dipper returned to her even if it meant that she'd have to bring Bill to their world._

“ _I'll return your brother to you, and you'll help me,” the triangle shaped demon repeated the offer._

_Mabel's hand trembled with fear and anxiety, but those feelings were pushed aside by the anger that bubbled to the surface. She was rarely angry, wanting to see good in most people, well maybe Pacifica was an exception, but there was nothing good about this demon._

“ _I'll never make a deal with you Cipher! Never ever! You may have tricked Dipper but I know better!”_

_Mabel, who had been so defiant and angry turned fearful and scared in an instant when Bill teleported to her, his colour having turned from gold to red, his eye staring deep into her soul._

_He now truly felt like a demon._

“ _Have it your way then, Shooting Star, I'll enjoy playing with your brother's mind...remember, a human life span is nothing to me. I'll find someone else who will help me into your world one way or another. And when I do get there, we'll see what's left of your brother's mind, if you even are here to witness it.”_

_With that, Mabel's vision was overwhelmed by shadows, blinding her and trapping her into utter darkness with Bill's laughter ringing in her ears._

The young girl woke up screaming, the triangle on the windows staring at her, mocking her.

* * *

 

Bill returned to his realm, assuming the more humanoid form once more. The demon flexed his arms and cracked his shoulder joints slightly as he approached Dipper who was still sleeping on the dark surface, blue chains coiled around his body, tying his wrists and feet together.

Bill grinned, flashing his sharp white teeth. He took gently hold of the boy's face with two hands, leaning closer to press his fore head against Dipper's,

 

“Your sister will give in, she just can't watch you suffer much longer, Pine tree,” the demon murmured loving the sight of the young boy shivering now that he was no longer in Bill's warm embrace, “soon enough I will enter your world and then the real party begins.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty OOC I know :C


	6. A Small Price

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started out as 4k word chapter, but turned into 8k How!?  
> Anyways, Bill finally manages to manipulate poor little Pine Tree. The sequence feels a bit clumsy but I tried my best :´(

Stanley Pines let out a loud and weary sigh as he stood in front of the strange triangle shaped machine that was humming gently with power, its lights turned on.

“Just a while longer, Ford...I'll get you back,” Stanley said to the machine, the damn thing that had thrown his twin brother into whatever world lied beyond it. The old con-man could only imagine the strange things Ford had to be experiencing...if he even was alive wherever he was now.

A small gravitational anomaly lifted some tools near the portal and the sound they made upon hitting the ground made the fez wearing man blinked a couple of times. He had completely lost his perception of time while thinking of his brother and recalling the old days, both the good and the bad.

 _Would things be different if I had told how I accidentally broke the science device?_ _Maybe Ford could have fixed it properly before the contest,_ Stan found himself wondering. Even if he didn't show it, it was painful how their relationship had deteriorated after that event. Perhaps the most horrible thing was how he had lost Ford right after seeing him again after so many years.

 _This is my fault for losing my temper,_ Stan thought as he glanced at the large metal barrels that lied next to the portal machine. He had stolen them and refueled the device as the journals had told him in order to keep the machine going. It had been activated for days now, but needed to be refueled regularly. He no longer missed parts or key components to fix the damn portal to the other dimension, but keeping an eye on it while fearing for Dipper's life was straining.

 _I'm so close to get Ford back_ , Stanley thought as he looked at his work, it had been years of hard labor but now...things were finally falling into their places. He could almost feel his brother's presence in the room and f someone was going to help Dipper, it was him.

 _At times it feels like I'm only good at losing those I care about,_ Stanley thought, thinking of his parents, Ford and Dipper.

He had accidentally destroyed Ford's chance to get into an excellent school. His parents might have thrown him out in moment of anger, but he had not even tried reconciliation with them. After that, he had not seen a single member from his family in over ten years and when Ford finally contacted and called him to visit, he had lost him in the first 30 minutes.

“I'll get you back Ford...you and Dipper both,” Stanley muttered as he stared at the device, his gaze focusing on the Beheanian Star symbols around the portal, “I refuse to lose any more of my family. I'll make this work and get you back, and then, we'll find a way together to get our nephew to wake up from that demon's dream,” the old con-man promise. There were no guarantees that he'd find Ford, but he was going to try, even if it took his life.

4 more days had passed and Dipper's condition had not improved at all, if anything, the nightmares had gotten worse.

Stan was really getting worried about Mabel too. The girl constantly stayed by her brother's side, wishing and trying her all to wake her twin up. She'd talk to him, show him pages from her summer journal and even pinch him, but nothing helped. It was heart breaking to see the young girl crying herself to sleep over Dipper's form and Stan had insisted that Mabel would come home every night so that she'd get some distance and could regain her strength. Wendy, Candy and Grenda were common visitors, hell, even Robbie had paid Dipper a visit, but nothing seemed to cheer Mabel up.

During the past few days, she had turned even more quiet, as if she was considering something but refused to talk about it. If Stanley asked what she was thinking, Mabel would give him a tired smile and just avoid the question. Often times, he found her staring at the triangle shaped window on the second floor.

 _I couldn't even tell their parents the truth_ , Stanley scolded himself as he turned his back to the device and pocketed his hands. He wished that before the summer was over, Ford would be back and Dipper woken up from his slumber.

 _In a way, this is my fault_. _All Dipper wanted was for me to get Mystery Shack back from Gideon...and now he lies on hospital bed, tormented by the triangle demon,_ the con-man thought.

He had no idea how to deal with demons or the strange creatures of Gravity Falls, and majority of the three books' contents could just as well be fairy tales to Stanley. Getting the portal to work was a miracle for Stanley who didn't really have much affinity for strange and otherworldly things. Ford on the other hand had devoted his whole adult life to this craziness and knew how to deal with all this.

 _If there was someone who can save that boy, it is my brother,_ Stan was absolutely sure of it.

“Only a while longer and I'll have my family back...everything will get back to normal before the end of summer,” Stan whispered as he picked the tool box next to him and carried it over to the control panel, sitting down to observe the huge machine that was powering up through the window. With the timer set, it would take only 3 more days for the portal to be ready.

The old Pines man had started experiencing small gravitational anomalies in close proximity to the universal portal...and he could only hope they wouldn't expand to the rest of the Falls, but if it came to pass, it was worth it.

The con man took a more comfortable position and leaned back on the chair, rubbing the spot between his eyes. His eyes lids felt so heavy and it was clear that age did not come alone. Each day was worse than the one before and seeing Mabel worry about her brother was heart breaking. If she couldn't sleep well, nor could he. They had no idea what that demon made Dipper dream, but the way the boy trembled, thrashed and talked in his sleep gave some clues.

“Hang in there Mabel and Dipper, only a while longer and we'll get my brother back, he'll know what to do,” Stanley sighed and glanced at the photo of the twins he kept on the control panel. The fez wearing man found himself yawning loudly and he fought to keep his eyes open. The constant stress, fear and uncertainty was exhausting.

Maybe a small nap would do good to him.

 

* * *

 

_Stan found himself walking through a familiar looking cave, his footsteps echoing in the empty space in an eerie manner. The old man wasn't sure how he had gotten there but it was the very same cave where he had found the boat with Ford when they had been kids._

“ _What in the?” Stan muttered out loud as he made his way forward, only to find the boat like the day they had discovered it. Yet, something was off._

“ _I must be dreaming,” the con-man scoffed and now that he took a closer look at it, the boat that had become his and Ford's project for many years looked all wrong. It was somehow nightmarish and decayed beyond any hope of repairing._

_However, it soon became clear that the boat was not the only thing looking strange. The proportions of the cave were all twisted and wrong and the walls were covered in red eyes that were staring at him. The still water beneath the boat could just as well be blood. It was thick and dark red. Stan made his way forward and the eyes seemed to follow him.  
“What in the world is this?” The grumpy old man asked as he touched the boat and looked around warily, suspecting that something foul was at play. He had such fond memories of this cave he had discovered with Ford and it was painful to see it like this._

_Suddenly, he heard someone laughing in the cave, laughing at him; the voice was high pitched and echoing slightly from the walls. Stan stayed calm and his eyes followed a strange, triangle shaped shadow that moved and glided along the cave walls, only to detach from the solid rock and materialize before him._

_The old man had to shield his eyes slightly from the bright golden light when the shadow took its form. In his years of traveling and living in Gravity Falls, he had seen many strange creatures and things, but this one was running for the first place._

_A triangle with hands and legs, wearing a top hat, now that was hilarious, Stan found himself thinking but did not say it loud since he had a very good suspicion of what...or who this was._

“ _Well well well, if it isn't Stanley Pines,” Bill laughed and took his hat off as a greeting to Stan, “we finally meet in person!” the small demon continued with a pause,“although, I did have the privilege of digging through your mind, but still, this is first time we properly meet!” The triangle finished in mirthful tone, only to look Stan up and down a couple of times in evaluating and clearly mocking manner._

“ _Name's Bill, Bill Cipher,” the nightmare demon introduced himself and offered his hand to Stan who ignored it. He was clearly seething and Bill let his hand fall when the human refused to greet him properly, “Not much for manners eh?”_

“ _You are the damn demon Gideon summoned to dig the safe number from my head, and the bastard who took Dipper!” the old man yelled and aimed a punch at the demon but his hand merely phased through Bill. With a loud “whoa!”Stan lost his balance and hit the cave floor, but got onto his feet quickly._

_The triangle cackled at the mortal's clumsiness and vain attempts to hurt him, like it was the most amusing thing to see._

“ _All about the physical pain?” Cipher asked and rolled his eye, “Doesn't work that well with me.” The demon then turned to poke the small boat with his cane, ignoring Stan who had gotten onto his feet and staring at him._

“ _Don't touch that! It is me and my brother's project!” Stan growled at Bill who “glanced over his shoulder” at him, turning around to once more face the Ford's brother._

“ _Oh please, like you have the brains to fix something like this,” Bill scoffed and poked the boat some more, “though I do have to admit you've done nice work with the portal, even if you are just following Sixer's instructions to the letter. Your brother is the one building things, you on the other hand have the habit of breaking everything down, Stanley Pines,” the demon said, clearly loving the the expression of doubt, anger and shock on the man's face when he mentioned his brother._

“ _You know my brother?” Stan demanded from Bill who just let out an amused cackle,_

“ _Know him? We worked together at one point. I have a long history with your brother and I must say, it is absolutely delight to see how much alike Pine Tree's mind is to his. I could dig through that pretty little head of his for a thousand years and still find something wonderful,” the demon said maliciously,”that kid is a lonely thing...but I'll keep him company along with madness and nightmares.”_

“ _You on the other hand, I found your mind dull as hell,” The golden demon taunted Stan who was clenching his hands into fists, clearly wanting to punch the demon again, “seriously, no imagination whatsoever.”_

“ _Release my grand nephew or I swear I'll...” Stan started but Bill moved closer in an instant, looming over Stan, his single black eye focused on the man.._

“ _You'll what? Save your threats Pines. Pine Tree is my possession now. My perfect little toy and puppet I will not give up easily,” Bill stated, “that kid is really hilarious to play with, a distraction for a thousand years...that is, if his mind lasts that long.”_

_Stanley stood his ground, unfazed by the demon who had just threatened to destroy his nephew's mind.._

“ _Trying to scare me? I'm not afraid of you, demon, this is my dream and you are merely a guest here,” Stanley said confidently, having grasped the demon's nature quickly._

_Bill's expression became almost enraged, not many mortals were this bold and rude to him, “If you think you or Shooting Star can help Pine Tree, I'd love to see you try.”_

 

_Stan grit his teeth as he stared at the demon who was hovering in the air, eying him calmly and with what he suspected was a smug and overconfident expression. It was a bit hard to tell with the way the demon was._

“ _I might not have the brains to defeat you, but my brother does,” Stan snapped at Bill who clearly looked unamused now,“he'll know how to get Dipper to wake up and released from your hold.”_

“ _Sixer,” Bill scoffed and Stan got a feeling Bill was really scornful towards his brother, “I've seen you activate the portal, we'll see if Pine Tree lasts the days it requires to power up....or if he even wants to wake up from his slumber,” the triangle demon laughed maliciously._

_Stanley glanced at the boat and saw how the Universal Portal appeared in the cave, looming over the small boat. His dreams were mixing together._

“ _What do you even want with me, demon? Did you just come here to gloat?” Stan demanded, knowing that Bill wanted something from him._

“ _I've been watching you. The way you try to bring your brother back from whatever dimension he is in. The way you lied to Shooting Star's and Pine Tree's parents...you know, I could help you with all this;” Bill whispered maliciously, offering his hand to Stan, the blue flame burning around it._

“ _Kinda hard to trust a demon who takes my nephew in the first place,” Stan stated bitterly, but Bill just rolled his eye._

“ _I'll speed things up with getting your brother back and let Pine Tree return to his body so that he can wake up, and in return, you'll get me one specific item when the time comes,” Bill said and could see Stan being tempted by the offer._

“ _Truly, you'll kill 3 birds with 1 stone. Just think about it, Pines,” the demon laughed, “you will get your brother back for sure and I promise to release Pine Tree so that he can return to his body. After that, you all can play one big happy family for the rest of the summer without ever having to tell the twins' parent's what happened,” Bill finished and all the eyes in the cave focused on Stan, urging him to make the deal with Bill “and in return, all you need to do is get me one thing.”_

_Much to Stan's disgust, he found himself tempted by and considering the deal this demon offered. He had been looking for his twin for so long and if he'd even give Dipper back...maybe it would be worth it._

_Ford will know what to do, he could fix things, Stan thought._

“ _Only the family matters to you, doesn't it?” Bill asked, “helping me is a small price to pay in return for getting your family back.”_

_Stan lifted his hand slowly, his mind racing through hundred different scenarios, through all the possibilities that could become true. He didn't like his odds with this one, but with great risk came great reward._

 

_Bill's single eye narrowed dangerously when Stan raised his hand slightly towards the demon's burning one. The triangle was clearly feeling victorious already._

_He tricked Dipper to blackmail us, to get me or Mabel to help him...we need Ford, he'll know how to deal with this....demon, Stan thought and let his hand fall just when he was about to seal the deal with Bill._

“ _Heh, sorry. I might be a gambler by nature, but even I know better than not to make a deal with the devil,” Stan gave a short laugh and stared at Bill with anger, defiance and hate, “I swear, by the end of the summer I'll have my brother back and he'll know what to do about this,” the con-man almost growled at the demon who was staring at him, “you'll never get to our world.”_

_That enraged Bill and he turned red in an instant, the atmosphere in the cave becoming hellish and oppressing._

“ _If you think Sixer can do something about me, you'll be sadly mistaken. I'll find a way into your world one way or another and I'll make sure you, Shooting Star and Sixer will get to watch how I turn Pine Tree's mind into shreds. You'll never see him awake again and I'll make sure Pine Tree gets to enjoy nightmares for the rest of the eternity,” Bill stated in demonic voice the single eye burning Stan with its gaze._

“ _Why don't you spare yourself some trouble and money and just let his body wither away and die in his sleep, because you'll never have him back,” the enraged demon yelled. Before Stan woke up on the chair, he hoped that Bill wouldn't take his anger out on Dipper._

 

* * *

 

Bill was in foul mood when he returned to his nightmare realm. He absolutely hated it when mortals refused to make deals with him and the arrogance of Stanley Pines really infuriated him.

 _It seems like Pines and Shooting Star can no longer be easily tricked by tempting offers, even if they know Pine Tree is suffering,_ the top hat wearing demon scoffed in his mind, “Stanley puts his faith in his brother while shooting Star is just being hard headed.”

The two were clearly desperate to have Dipper back from his grasp, but Shooting Star feared his trickery, as she should. He had no intentions of giving Pine Tree permanently back to his family. That kid would never be truly free of him.

_Soon enough someone will break, and then I'll have the puppet I want._

With a snap of his fingers, Bill assumed his multi-armed form once more as he walked over to the sleeping boy that had curled up slightly on the pitch black floor, shivering and trembling. It was truly funny how the boy's spirit could feel things in his realm like in his own one.

“They'll break eventually,” Bill said as he crouched over the sleeping boy, one of his hands taking hold of Pine Tree's neck, squeezing it slightly “I can see how tempted they are, how worried they are of you,” the demon murmured as he watched his prisoner, his golden eyes half-lidded, “each day those two spend wondering and figuring out whether they should risk the deal, I'll keep you trapped here with me,” Bill continued.

“Who knows, maybe it is you who breaks first Pine Tree,” Bill murmured out loud with malice and thrill reflecting in his golden eyes as he picked up his young victim up once more, “you are my favorite puppet and toy.” The demon studied Dipper's sleeping face and brushed few fingers across his constellation birth mark, “before you know it, you'll let me into your mind, not wanting to wake up into the boring world.”

Much to the demon's amusement and satisfaction, the boy had gone pretty quiet when ever he let him wake up from the never ending nightmares. Pine Tree no longer fought him, called him names or acted bashful, rather choosing to enjoy and cherish the moments free from the dreams.

 _Truly, Pine Tree is all I want,_ the god like demon thought as he admired the boy's small form and his soft and perfect skin, “so adorably stupid and trusting,” Bill found himself chuckling as he felt Dipper's soft hair with his long fingers.

The demon's golden eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned closer, his lips almost touching the sleeping boy's ear,

“You'll help me into your world, won't you Pine Tree?” the nightmare demon whispered to Dipper and a truly cruel smile formed on his lips, showing the row of razor sharp white teeth. Really, he had no need for the rest of Pines family if he got into the boy's mind and twisted it around his little finger. He wouldn't need deals or blackmail to get what he wanted if Dipper wanted to help him willingly. Dipper would love him, love the dreams he'd let him have.

 

 

A blue flaming and glowing aura formed around Bill as he closed his eyes and focused, letting himself manifest in Dipper's dreams.

“I think it is time for us to become good friends.”

* * *

 

_Dipper blinked a couple of times in utter confusion as he looked around himself, his mind feeling all hazy for some reason._

“ _How did I get here?” The young Pines boy muttered slightly baffled, having no memory of how he had gotten here and why._

_He found himself standing among friends and family who all towered over him, their forms shadowy and distorted._

“ _What is going on?” Dipper asked, but the shadowy formed relatives and friends merely ignored him, as if they had not even heard his questions. It was as if he didn't even exist to them._

_To Dipper's relief, he suddenly heard Mabel laughing at the center of the crowd and it looked like everyone was focusing only on her. His twin sister was in the spot light as usual...she always was._

“ _Mabel?” Dipper asked as he dodged the people, trying to find his way to the center of the crowd. When he finally made it, the young boy saw his sister standing there with a happy smile on her face._

_Balloons, birthday cake and a big banner reading “Happy Birthday Mabel and Congratulations,” decorated the room. It was a party, yet, Dipper felt like he was not invited._

_What is going on? The Pines boy thought when he saw it all and the people who were fawning over Mabel, congratulating her and celebrating her. The banner just struck Dipper as odd,_

_It is my birthday too, he thought as he watched his parents giving Mabel tight hugs, telling her how clever and wonderful she was. This didn't resemble or feel like a birthday at all._

“ _Mabel?” Dipper asked in unsure manner when their parents stepped aside and back into the crowd. The brunette girl was beaming with life and happiness. Next to her was a table with tons of gifts on it, large boxes with labels, “to Mabel!” and now that Dipper looked closer, this really was only about his twin sister. No gifts for him, no one to congratulate, or give him a hug. For heaven's sake, even his name was not on the cake._

“ _Oh, Dipper!” Mabel laughed and hurried to hug her brother. Dipper wasn't sure why but for some reason all the other people felt like faceless beings to him with Mabel being the only real person. Yet, there was a presence observing just him, Dipper could feel it._

“ _What's this about?” the Pines boy laughed nervously, wondering if this was some mix up or something. It wasn't like he needed gifts, but he and Mabel were twins, inseparable._

“ _Oh you are so silly Bro-bro,” Mabel laughed and punched her brother playfully onto shoulder, “this is our 13 th birthday party,” Mabel explained and opened her arms, laughing happily, “And **my** going away party.” _

“ _What?” Dipper asked all dumbfounded, “going away party? Mabel what are you talking about? We go to the same school,” Dipper stated like this was some big joke. He didn't like this at all and something was just wrong._

_Mabel ignored his questions._

“ _Can you believe it Dipper? When the school starts we will be teens and well...I know it will be hard for you, but I'm sure you'll make new friends eventually. I have to do this, for my own good and future. Surely you'd do the same if given a chance.”_

_Dipper couldn't understand any of this._

“ _Make new friends? Mabel, what the heck are you talking about,” `Dipper asked, his voice almost failing him, “you don't make any sense.”_

_Is Mabel going to leave me? The boy wondered and to his horror Mabel's grin just widened._

“ _Got a letter today, I got accepted into the private school for the exceptionally talented and intelligent students. I'm going to transfer there,” the braces wearing girl explained to Dipper who felt like his world was coming crashing down._

_But...I'm...I'm the clever one of us two, Dipper thought. Not that Mabel was stupid but...being the braniac had been his thing, his ability that set him aside and made him special in a sense. Mabel had been the outspoken, eccentric extrovert who could make friends easily. The two complimented each other and formed a team that could not be separated. They had a balance._

_This can't be happening, Dipper thought, this is not real._

“ _Oh Dipper, surely you know your sister is just as intelligent as you...even more so,” his mother's voice said, but it felt somehow hollow and distant. It echoed in the room._

“ _Being the clever one was always kinda your thing Dipper so I didn't want to take it away from you. But, now I have to think of myself and my future, bro-bro. Being clever is all nice but having people skills is just as important,” Mabel giggled, “being popular opens all kinds of doors,” she continue and hugged Dipper who looked like he was in shock, “oh don't worry about it Dipper! You'll make friends eventually. Too bad my school is a boarding school, so we won't meet until the summer...and even then I'm probably busy with all the new people I meet.”_

 

_She...she just faked it so that I could have a thing, Dipper thought, his mind racing and feeling somehow hazy, like all reason was starting to leave him, all this time she kept it from me just so I could have something, because she pitied me._

_It was so painful and Dipper could be sure he heard someone snickering at him. Something was touching the edges of his mind, clouding his judgment. It felt as if there were dark tendrils wrapping around him, binding and directing his actions._

_All this time, Mabel has just acted out of pity towards me. She is going to leave me here all alone. She has always been the center of attention and love. I'm just a screw up._

_It felt like the world had become hopeless and scary place for Dipper. The crushing feeling of loneliness, isolation and fear gripped his heart, strangling him. Mabel was going to leave him...Mabel who all this time had been better than him, more loved, more successful in every way. He had nothing left. Dipper couldn't take it._

“ _You think you are so great Mabel!” Dipper found himself yelling at his sister out of anger and betrayal, “you are always the shooting star, always the center of attention. After everything I've done and sacrificed for you in my life, you just leave?!”_

“ _Eh?” Mabel asked, looking both surprised and hurt by her brother's accusations._

“ _All this time you've only felt pity for me,” Dipper continued, sounding bitter, jealous and incredibly lonely. It felt like there was a lump of black tar inside him, hurting and suffocating him. It hurt so bad, “You've just fake to let me have “a thing,” so that I'd feel better:”_

_Mabel stared at him...her expression turning uncharacteristically smug. A small smile formed on her lips and she shrugged, raising her hands slightly._

“ _Oh come on Dipper, not everyone can be like me, I just thought it would be fair to handicap myself for your sake. After all, we are twins and all,” his stated and tilted her head slightly to the side, giggling in uncharacteristic manner for Mabel, “but as you said, I'm a shooting star that can no longer be hindered, while you, bro, are a small little Pine Tree that might eventually grow into something worthwhile.”_

_Something inside Dipper snapped and he shoved Mabel, like so many times before in the dreams, and just like before, he used too much force._

_Dipper watched how his sister fell backwards, her expression shocked and eyes wide with terror. A loud and sickening crunching sound was heard when the girl's head hit the corner of a sharp table. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it. Dipper watched how his twin then slumped onto the floor. Mabel's body was lifeless and her eyes eyes empty and void of any light._

“ _Mabel?” Dipper asked in shock, the crowd around him gasping in terror and calling Mabel's name. Somewhere in the distance, his mother was crying hysterically, as if the birthday party had turned into a funeral._

“ _Look what you've done Dipper, you killed your sister,” his mother's heart broken voice said in the distance, “my little shooting star is gone because of you!”_

_Dipper slowly raised his trembling hands to his face, hand clasping over his mouth when he realized what he had done,_

“ _No no no no,” the boy cried as tears started falling down his face. None of the people around him moved and only now the realized that they all were statues, mannequins looking like the people Dipper knew._

“ _Mabel please get up! I didn't mean to push you. I really didn't...” the scared boy pleaded and hurried to his sister's side, trying to get her to wake up. He shook his twin's lifeless body, “I'll take it all back, I'll take back all the horrible things I said to you....so just please wake up.”_

“ _Mabel...Mabel please, I don't want to be alone...” Dipper whispered desperately, feeling so lonely and isolated from the rest of the world. His sister was his shining and guiding light in the world, the one who made him happy, made him laugh._

“ _M..Mabel, no no..” Dipper whispered and backed away from his sisters' dead body when what looked like black tar started to seep from his sister's mouth, nose, eyes and ears._

 

_The warm yet eerie atmosphere of the party was gone and was replaced by coldness of the void. Nothing existed beyond the door or walls, only darkness. The lights went out and only now did Dipper see the countless red eyes painted on the walls, staring at him, mocking him. The wooden floor beneath him had turned moldy and rotten, looking as if it was falling apart any moment. The wallpapers were falling off and had tears all over them, their once bright colours now faded._

“ _Mabel please wakeup I didn't mean any of this, I didn't want to hurt you!,” Dipper pleaded, breaking down completely when it all was useless, “I don't care if you have to go, I just want to be your brother again.”_

_He could feel someone move behind him, the steps echoing in the empty room._

 

* * *

 

At that moment, both to Dipper's terror and relief, he understood that this was yet another of Bill's nightmares. No matter how many times he experienced them, they all felt real and he'd forget he was dreaming.

Only moments ago, Dipper really had thought he had killed his sister and the emotions he felt were real and strong. They were clear and refused to fade away.

Bill watched how the pre teen buried his face into his knees, wanting to hide the tears from the demon who was standing behind him. Sure Bill loved to torment him with various nightmares involving his family, but never before had Dipper felt this lonely and isolated from the rest of the world.

“Make it stop Bill, I don't want to see anything like this again,” Dipper almost choked on the words. The demon crouched behind him, still towering over the boy in his godlike form.

“Oh you don't? But this is how you perceive Shooting Star when you are angry at her, when you are jealous of her ability to make friends...you fear that she is actually better than you in every way,” Bill cackle and grabbed a handful of Dippers hair, forcing him to look at his dead sister's body that had formed a pool of black tar or blood beneath it.

“That's what you think when you are angry at her, how you perceive her, how she is rotten to the core,” Bill laughed like this was the best thing ever, “I swear you are so hilarious I will never get bored of you, I want to spend an eternity dreaming with you.”

The nightmare had touched Dipper painfully and shocked him worse than anything Bill had showed him before. It had embodied all the things he feared on some deep level. Not getting any love from his family, being inferior to Mabel in every way, having no friends...being hated by everyone. The pain had felt so real.

He had always been jealous of her ability to make friends, even if he had the brains. Yet, to Dipper the worst thing was how he lashed out in the dream. He had alienated himself from his family and friends with one burst of anger, doing something horrible that could not be reversed no matter how much he regretted it. He feared of being left alone. Without Mabel, he felt lonely in the world. And being lonely was one of the painful things he knew. She was his only friend.

“I'd never hurt my sister, these are not my real feelings,” Dipper almost cried out and held his head when Bill let go of his hair, “This is just a dream. Mabel means everything to me.”

A fearful whimper escaped the pre-teen's lips when he felt Bill's arms extend around him, pulling him against the demon's tall and warm body once more. Bill cackled softly as he turned the traumatized boy around so that he had to face him. The demon's expression was almost sadistic as the boy fought slightly to get out of his hold. This was one of the rare moments when Pine Tree still had some fire left in him.

The days of torment had left Pine Tree vulnerable, confused and scared just the way Bill wanted.

“You say that, yet you dream something like this,” the demon laughed with a malicious smirk on his face, loving every moment of this..

“You made the dream, you controlled my actions!” Dipper insisted and tried to hit the demon who was saying such horrible things, but Bill merely grabbed his arm without much effort.

 

“Not this time Pine Tree, this was all your doing,” Bill chuckled before leaning closer, his golden eyes shining in the utter darkness, “I merely came to observe,” the demon explained with a soft chuckle.

“W..what?” Dipper asked in disbelief, his body freezing when the demon's long black tongue extending to lick the few tears rolling down the boy's face; his eyes were wide in terror and shock.

_How can I dream something this horrible? That is just impossible! This is all Bill's work, it has to be...I'd never dream of hurting Mabel._

 

“I've had it with these nightmares, Bill, please I don't want to see my family get hurt...I..I can't be dreaming of something like this,” Dipper pleaded, the fire inside him extinguished. The idea, that he had dreamed all this on his own felt nightmarish. How could he conjure hist worst nightmare even without Bill's influence.

One of the dream demon's many arms ran up and down the boy's back in a soothing manner. As he calmed down in his captor's corruptive hold, Bill couldn't help but smile smugly, knowing that his words had really affected Dipper.

In truth the scenario was indeed conjured by Dipper, but Bill had directed his actions.

 

A shiver ran down Dipper's spine when the blond multi-armed ma took hold of his face with two hands, forcing him to look into his golden eyes that shone eerily in the darkness. They were hypnotically beautiful and the young Pines boy found himself unable to tear his gaze away even though he wanted. Those eyes promised nightmares, but the few times Bill had let him see a pleasant, albeit insane dream, made them inviting as well.

 

“You understand these all wrong Pine Tree,” Bill cackled quietly as his many hands caressed Dipper in calm, almost loving manner, “these are not nightmares, but fantasies...gifts if you will,” the demon calmly explained cryptically to Dipper whose expression turned confused and then angry, “this weirdness and madness is something you'll come to love..if you just accepted them and let me help you dreaming properly.”

“These are not fantasies! I'd never dream of something like this Bill!” Dipper lashed out at the demon whose grin just widened, “I want this madness to end, not enjoy it”

“No?” the demon mused and looked around the room, “don't tell me you have never before dreamed of hurting your sister. I've dug through your little mind, observed your dreams. She is a shooting star, bright and shining and at times you can't help but feel jealous of her,” Bill pointed out which made Dipper try to get out of his hold again; he refused to listen to any of it, “without her, you'd be all alone, yet Shooting Star is selfish, making you sacrifice so much for her. And what do you get in return? Nothing.”

“I told you already, I'd never hurt my sister!” Dipper snapped at Bill whose warm hold felt so wrong, but also good.

“Of course you wouldn't since it has consequences in the real world, and I can understand that you don't want to hurt her so that she'd remember...or be gone forever” Bill agreed but then spread 2 of his arms to address the room around them, “but here, in your dreams and my world, you can do anything, hurt anyone, kill anyone you wish without any consequences to your actions. You can freely do and be anything you want!”

“But it is not real ,” Dipper sighed and stopped struggling once more, letting himself just lie there in Bill's hold. He knew that Mabel's dead body was still behind him and that the dream had not ended, “ **this** is not real, it is just a dream..”. Bill smiled with half-lidded eyes, loving how vulnerable his prisoner was.

 

“And what is real? If you don't know you are dreaming and perceive the dream as a reality, retaining the memories clearly, is it any less real than something you experience in waking world? If you experience the feelings and sensations the same way, what's the difference? ”

“Dreams fade away, _“_ Dipper sighed, ““my body is sleeping somewhere and the moment I wake up, these are just memories that will probably fade away,” the boy continued but Bill merely laughed, poking Dipper's forehead playfully with one sharp nailed finger.

 _If you never wake up, they don't_ , Bill wanted to say but didn't.

“I assure you Pine Tree, these memories will never leave your pretty little head,” the tall demon whispered and Dipper had no hard time believing him.

The hundreds of nightmares Bill had put him through had melded together, but started to fade away the moment he “woke up” in the nightmare realm. Would his experiences while awake in Bill's realm also fade? Or would he recall them with clarity for the rest of his life.

“You could have wonderful dreams that would never fade away...I could help you with that,” Bill offered, making Dipper look unsure, “the world you are in is cruel place Pine Tree. Eventually you and your sister will part ways and you'll be left all alone in the world,” the demon scoffed with a knowing look, forcing Dipper to look into his eyes, “parts of this dream will become real and you'll feel those emotions. But that could be avoided.”

“I...I don't understand,” Dipper murmured.

“Just imagine it, Pine Tree,” Bill started in a mirthful tone, “you'd never have to feel unhappy ever again. You can just escape to dreams whenever you feel lonely or isolated. You could dream a perfect world and it would feel real...and best of all you'd remember everything, every single detail. It would be real to you.”

The tempted, intrigued and most importantly, hungry look in Dipper's eyes was truly delicious to Bill and he knew he was so close to getting the boy. He _**needed**_ Dipper to be his puppet, desired it. It was all true and possible if the boy let him addle with his mind a bit...and there was a great chance that after a while, Pine Tree wouldn't want to wake up at all.

“I don't know Bill..” Dipper murmured, “You'll just want to show me more nightmares and drive me insane or something. What's with the sudden change of heart?”

Bill laughed and ruffled Dipper's hair playfully, his golden eyes narrowed slightly,

“I like you Pine Tree, and it would be nice to have someone to dream with. You amuse me and believe it or not, I have no intentions of destroying your mind completely,” Bill explained before grinning playfully, “Well, I admit I might show you a maddening nightmare every now and then since your reactions are absolutely hilarious. But surely it is a small price to pay for a gift I offer you.”

“It is not a gift if you want something for it, “ Dipper muttered but Bill merely smiled at him.

 

“I can teach you to weave, direct and control your dreams so that you won't feel lonely ever again, so that you can feel happy,” Bill whispered and offered one hand with blue flame around it to Dipper who licked his lips in unsure manner, “all it takes is from you to let a fraction of me into your dreams while you sleep so that I can make you aware and remember everything. “

“So you want to possess me?” Dipper demanded angrily now, thinking he found Bill's true intentions but the demon merely shook his head, “Nothing of the sort I assure you, Pine Tree, your mind is merely linked to me when you sleep.”  
_And_ w _ithout me, you cannot dream,_ Bill thought as he ran his thumb across Pine Tree's soft lips.

“And all I want in return, is you to be my friend, a companion in the dreams” Bill continued playfully, “besides, it is not like your sister or uncle care about you.”  
“What do you mean?” Dipper asked in accusing tone, not even bothering to tell the triangle he was lying.

The demon's grin turned truly malicious,

“I've tried to make a deal with them. In return for giving you back, all I want is one small favor, an item if you will...but even that is too high of a price to pay.”

Dipper knew he shouldn't feel betrayed or hurt. Mabel and Stan probably knew better than well not to trust the demon after what he had pulled off with him, but still...it wasn't like they couldn't figure things out together if he was returned to his body, think of a way to stop Bill as a group.

“They must have their reasons,” Dipper muttered, “Mabel knows you can't be trusted..and..”

“Poor little Pine Tree, just think about it...they rather let you dream with me than give me one single favor,” The demon mocked the boy whose eyes reflected the betrayal, fear and vulnerability he felt.

“They know what kind of madness you'd bring and....” Dipper tried but was interrupted by Bill.

“Doesn't change the facts,” the demon laughed, “if they prefer you to dream....I'd imagine you'd want to enjoy it. Let us be friends Pine Tree, and I'll show you lovely dreams...dreams where you won't feel lonely ever again.”

Dipper knew he had to be insane when he reached out to take the demon's hand.

“Deal,” he whispered in defeat, not wanting to see any more nightmares, not after what he himself had created.

Bill's smile became truly malicious and demonic when their hands met, sealing the deal with a firm handshake. From now on, he and Pine Tree had a direct link in dreams. He might not be able to possess the boy, but gaining influence was just as powerful tool.

“I'll show you dreams you'll never want to wake up from,” Bill whispered happily. Dipper watched how the demon raised one finger, the tip of the sharp nail glowing with golden light.

“This, links your dreams to me,” The demon purred as he drew an upside down golden triangle on Dipper's forehead that remained there, marking the boy as his property and binding the boy's spirit to him, “your dreams belong to me now,” Bill cackled before pressing his forehead against Dipper's, his many arms caressing the boy's form.

"You are mine."

Without him, the boy would no be able to dream, not even nightmares.

* * *

 

Mabel ignored the few nurses who gave her worried looks as she walked through the hospital corridors towards the room her brother was in. The young girl had become a common sight around the hospital and her brother's case had become well known since it had left all doctor's baffled.

“Poor thing...no one knows what ails her twin,” one of the nurses whispered and Mabel shot them an angry glance that lacked any warmth or happiness. Mabel had tried so hard to stay positive and happy, but she was now just so tired . How could she be happy while her brother was being tormented by Bill? When the Pines girl finally reached her brother's room, she almost feared walking in. Sometimes Dipper lied completely still on the bed, as if he was dead, barely breathing. Other times he was thrashing and looking as if he was in pain...but the most unsettling was when he was sleeping calmly with a content smile on his face.

 _I know very well what's wrong with him...no, who has done this to him,_ Mabel thought as she opened and closed the door behind her, leaning against it, eying the room with sad and somehow empty look in her eyes.

The evening sun shone through the blinds and cast a serene and calm look over the room, as if it was untouched by time itself. The hot summer days were things of beauty and happiness, but they were quickly fading away. Each day that passed brought the start of school closer and if her brother did not wake up by the end of summer, Mabel didn't know what she'd do.

For a moment, Mabel just leaned against the door and let her gaze focus on the floor, not wanting to see her brother sleeping...yet, when she heard him whimper quietly in terror and turning on the bed, she glanced up.

“Dipper?” Mabel asked when she saw her brother thrashing on the bed, probably seeing a horrible nightmare. This had to be the worst one so far.

“Dipper!” Mabel yelled and rushed to the bed, placing her hand on her brother's chest to try and calm him down, “oh gosh, Dipper please...please wake up! I'm here, its Mabel,” the young girl tried in vain.

After watching Dipper for a moment, Mabel started to feel desperate, “what is he doing to you!?” she whispered hopelessly.

Her brother's skin was pale and coated with thin layer of cold sweat and the boy's breathing was heavy.

“Bill...I can't take this anymore,” her brother whispered and looked like he was experiencing horrifying emotional pain.

All Mabel could do was helplessly watch her brother see never ending nightmares until...suddenly he seemed to relax somewhat.

“Bro bro?” Mabel asked out loud, wondering what had caused the change.

“I don't want to be alone..” Dipper whispered and much to Mabel's horror, a smile formed on her brother's lips and few tears rolled down his face. Dipper's whole body relaxed and he turned on the bed, curling up slightly underneath the covers with a content, relieved and happy expression, “Bill...I like this dream,” was the last thing he whispered.

 

Mabel had had enough.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm playing with an idea for darker BillxDipper story where Dipper is around 15 but I dunno if it has wings :D Bill would be a human in that with some powers left. And a real creep too.
> 
> Come say hi to me over at Tumblr @Jastral  
> I'd love to do some one-shot BillDip requests to improve my writing skills!


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